A TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 162, 27 March 1923, Page 4

A TRAFFIC PROBLEM

CAMBRIDGE TERRACE SIDING MASTER CARRIERS’ PROTEST A deputation, consisting of about a dozen master carriers approached the Tramways Committee of the City Council yesterday to protest against tho laying down of a siding for tramcars in Cambridge Terrace. Expressing tho opinion of the master carriers of’Wellington, Mr. J. McGowan said: “It, was observed from the local Press on Friday last that in the neai future tho city’s inward traffic will be diverted through tho reserve opposite Elizabeth Street, and proceed along Cambridge Terrace towards Courtenay Place, and that all south bound traffic will bo directed along Kent Terraco. This arrangement is considered by the members of my association to be an excellent one, but unfortunately it is also proposed to set aside a strip of Cambridge Terrace, 12 feet in width, and extending from Courtenay Place to Tennyson Street, as a reserve for parking traincars, to the number, it is believed, of 10 or 12. “My association desires to protest strongly against this proposal for the following reasons: —As tho Tramways Committee is perfectly aware, the Courtenay Place end of the city, as a business centre, has grown by leaps and bounds * during the last eight years, and as a natural consequence, traffic has correspondingly increased. When the new departure in the direction of the traffic becomes an accomplished fact, Cambridge Terrace will bo the principal inlet for the city’s ftaffic, and it is essential for the present conditions aa well as the future growth of the city that tramcars be not parked in .this road. It is believed that tho number of vehicles in daily use in the city has increased from 700 to 7000 during tho last 10 years, and surely in view of this rapid growth, it is most necessary that the principal inlet to the city should be free of the suggested park. ""It is only too apparent all that certain of the city’s main thoroughfares are far too narrow and cramped to cope with the present traffic. In fact, of lato.it has been found neces- . sary to widen certain ■streets. “My association is of opinion that the existing parking place for tramcars, near the morgue, is admirably suited for such a purpose for some considerable time to come. This place is handy to the Courtenay Place section yet it is out of the run of the regular traffic. ’''My association hopes a.nd Relieves that its views on this subject, combined with those of the Wellington Automobile Club, will receive the committee’s favourable consideration.” Mr. C- M. Banks, on behalf of the Wellington Automobile Association, said that his association believed in the removal as far as possible of all obstructions on roads. While it was not strong on this matter, it suggested that tho committee, before making a decision, should give tho proposal and tho arguments raised against it very careful consideration. Perhaps tho urgency was not so great just now with tho one'-way traffic, but it might be very, awkward in the future to have, tramcars parked in a main thoroughfare. Courtenay Place was now one of the most dangerous places in the city owing chiefly to the express stand, anil the habit people had formed of walking between thet expresses on to the road. The' Mayor said that the committee had had the matter of this siding under consideration that afternoon, and the deputation could rest assured that its representations would he weighed very carefully. The other side’of tho story—from the managerial point of view—was that the siding at the morgue was most inconvenient. It could not be seen from Courtenay Place, the boys played mischief with the waiting cars, and it was awkward for working the cars, as it was off a live traffic line (Oriental Bay). Mr. C. M. Banks: Couldn’t the council consider parking the cars in the middle of the reserve? Councillor T. Forsyth: No chance of that 1 The Mayor: That is a very good idea, Mr. Banks, but I am afraid it would raise very mijeh more opposition than the present proposal from people opposed to cutting into any of our reserves. Careful consideration will bo given, however, of the reres&ntations made by the deputation. /