Crashes prompt notices at ‘Butcher’s Corner’

Press, 22 October 1981, Page 1

Crashes prompt notices at ‘Butcher’s Corner’

Woodend residents, concerned about a dangerous corner on the main north highway, have erected their own warning signs. The large, professionally painted signs say: “Slow, bad curve, 22 accidents,” in three lines of clear lettering. L" The signs were nailed on Tuesday to lamp posts at the northern and southern approaches to the junction of

State highway 1 and Woodend Road, known locally as “Butcher’s Corner.” The name is derived from a former butcher’s shop which now serves as a saddlery, rather than the 22 accidents referred to in the signs.

Mr A. D. Wethey, the spokesman for the concerned residents, discovered that 22

verified accidents have occurred at “Butcher’s Corner” since 1969.

Sixteen of these accidents have occurred in the last four years and already this year six incidents have been recorded.

In one accident, a. Woodend schoolgirl was knocked from her bicycle and in another, a vehicle left the road and demolished the front of the Woodend Hall.

Mr Wethey said the signs were put up last Tuesday after residents and representatives of most of the 20 community groups at Woodend had decided that something must be done to mobilise the authorities.

The Rangiora District Council engineer, Mr G. J. Hughson, said his council had written several letters to the Ministry of Works over the last few years asking that “Butcher’s Corner” be put on its reading programme. “Butcher’s Corner” is now listed on the Ministry’s reading programme for 1981-82, with an estimated expenditure of $BOOO. The Ministry’s assistant district highways engineer, Mr A.'Ji Boyd, said the corner was being investigated. “If'there is anything to be done it will be. before March,” said Mr Boyd. He said the Ministry had increased the size of the 50km/h speed restriction signs at the corner. “People are obviously driving much too fast,” he said. Messrs Wethey and Hughson agreed that vehicles came in to the deceptive gentle-looking curve at speeds well above the limit. “It is a 50km zone. At that speed the road is quite safe,” said Mr Hughson.

Mrs M. A. Stewart, the owner of the corner saddlery, said nine out of 10 southbound cars swung out over the white line. The curve of the road was not suitable for travelling at high speed, she said. The residents’ committee would like to see the road widened and traffic islands installed to slow the traffic.

The principal of the Woodend Primary School, Mr P. W. Gregory, would like something done before one of his pupils is killed. He is particularly concerned about those of his pupils who walk round “Butcher's Corner” — where there is no footpath — to the northern end of the township. The accident in which the front of the Woodend Hall was demolished occurred only a week ago, at 2.45 p.m., not long before school pupils walk home.

Mr Gregory, whose school committee has also been in touch with the Ministry, said he hoped the sign would draw attention to the problem until something permanent could be done. But the future of the signs is also in question. Mr Boyd was not aware that the signs had ben put up until told by “The Press” yesterday. He said that he had not experienced such direct action before. The future of the signs would have to be considered, said Mr Boyd. Because of the need •to control unofficial notices and advertising, signs only approved by the National Roads Board were allowed on the roadside. Meanwhile, Mr Wethey says: “Everyone is .making the right noises but nothing ever happens.” ■