Hagley Park tramline suggested

Press, 30 March 1989, Page 7

Hagley Park tramline suggested

KAY FORRESTER

The Christchurch City traffic engineer, Mr Mike Gadd, expects that his proposal for a tramline through Hagley Park may trigger as much comment as the road proposed in the early 19705.

Mr Gadd’s proposal — endorsed yesterday by the Tourist Transport Committee for further investigation — is for a 3ft 6in gauge line from Cathedral Square to Rolleston Avenue, through Hagley Park north of the Botanic Gardens and south of Victoria Lake, along Matai Street East to Mona Vale.

The aim is to provide a rail link to the main railway line at Mona Vale, giving access by rail to other parts of the city, including Ferrymead and Lyttelton. The Christchurch City Council already has before it a proposal for a tramline along Worcester Street from the Square to the Canterbury Museum. That proposal is due for further discussion next week by the works and traffic committee of the council.

Mr Gadd suggested the tramline through the park could be an extension of the Worcester Street line, opening up the city from Cathedral Square.

He acknowledged the scheme was ambitious and that there were disadvantages of the proposed gauge. There were few remaining 3ft 6in gauge trams.

He believed, however, the use of the standard gauge, allowing the tram access to the main railway network, opened up all sorts of tourist possibilities.

Committee members are enthusiastic about the tramline as a part of the tourist transport jigsaw the committee is trying to put together for Christchurch. The committee — which has City councillors and Christchurch Transport Board members and staff among its members — delegated a sub-com-mittee to explore the idea.

Mr Gadd said about 2km of new track would be needed, much of it lying off the street. He had not investigated the technicalities of laying track through either the road reserve or the park. The people of the city

seemed receptive to proposals, although he expected reaction in terms of the protection of open space and the park. Mr Gadd had not costed the project, but believed it was ideal for interesting a main sponsor.

Trams for the run could be refurbished and adapted for diesel or electric (he did not envisage overhead electricity lines), a Vulcan rail car, or other light rail passenger cars. The committee’s cochairman, Mr lan Rivers, said the “English Connection” double-decker bus could be used to provide the link initially between the Square and Mona Vale.

Passengers could be transferred at Mona Vale to a rail car to travel to Ferrymead and Lyttelton.

The sub-committee will contact the City Council, the Transport Board, the Railways, the Ferrymead Trust and the Tramway Historical Society to pursue the possibility of a combined bus-rail car tourist link.