PARKING SPACES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 11, 7 October 1927, Page 10

PARKING SPACES

PROBLEM OF TRAFFIC CONTROL “NEW BUILDINGS MUST HAVE GARAGES" CITY TRAM SERVICES So acute,is the question of providing parking places for motorcars becoming in the city that the Mayor yesterday agreed that the time was approaching when it would be necessary to insist upon garage or parking accommodation being provided in office buildings of several stories for the cars belonging to the tenants of such buildings, thus obviating the necessity of parking their cars in the streets. This problem of parking places is one which is now occupying the attention of the By-laws Committee and the traffic inspector. At present there is official parking space for about 750 cars iu tho city at all hours of the day. There arc certain streets where cars may not be left for more than ten minutes, while in the most congested thoroughfares cars may not lie left at all. Although from time to time uew parking places have been provided, the supply has rareiy been equal to the demand, and under the rangement now being reviewed .it is hoped to increase the accommodation to 900 cars. Taxi-cabs require considerable space for their stands, in addition to which the carriers and others have to be provided for. A good deal of trouble is caused by many motorists who, iu their round of shopping, want to drive right up to the door of a shop, and leave the ear there while they do their business. “It is too much trouble to them to park their cars in a-side street and walk, perhaps, two or three hundred yards to do their shopping or business.” Such was a traffic officer’s observation. In Future Buildings. In discussing the' matter with the Mayor, Mr. Troup said that in American cities some buildings were wholly constructed for garage purposes, cars reaching various floors by driving up ramps constructed round the inside of . the building. He had noticed in Chicago that quite a number of vacant building sections were used for car parking purposes, a step which might be followed with great advantage in Wellington. There were not many vacant sections in the city, but seeing that an average section would accommodate 20 to 30 ears, it would- give a meat deal of relief to the city streets if such sections were made available. So far as could be gathered only one section in the city one belonging to the City Council in Brandon Street was being used in tins The time was not far off, said the Mayor, when tho City Council would have to insist un-m provision being made in new buildings for business or commercial purposes for the garaging o cars owned bv tenants in the building so that thev" would not need to park their cars in the streets. Most ot the big factories in America had parking yards on their properties. The city could not keen race with Hie vroping demand for parking snare in Wellington's already overcrowded streets.

Tram Traffic. The Mayor was disposed to . agree to a suggestion that more provision could possibly bo made to relieve the tram traffic in Willis and Manners Streets and also a portion of Lambton Quay, particularly during the rush hours and also during the shopping hours on Friday night, by diverting more of the traffic in and out of Iks city via.Jervois Quay and Wakefield Street. If people coming into town to shop were put down in Wakefield Street or Jervois Quay, he 'said they would not have far to walp to the shops, and when loaded up with purchases could board the ears in the main street. The knowledge that a reasonable service of outward bound cats was proceeding via Jervois Quay anf * Wakefield Sireat would often induce a lot of people to seek that service instead of trviim io get on already overcrowded cars 'in Willis and Manners Streets.. If was suggested that in the morning peak load time Manners and Wilhs Streets should be restricted to one-way traffic only, for inward-bound traffic, and in the evening for outward-bound traffic Seeing that the tracks were double the' Mayor doubted the ity of this, but agreed that it might be considered.

Traffic Census. On several occasions during the past year a traffic census had been taken at ■various points in and near the> city at certain hours of the day, and tq q u °te a few of these will give some idea of the traffic problems with which the traffic department has to contend. Only on Wednesday afternoon, between 4.30 and 5.30, as soon as the final Rugby trial match was .over, a record showed that in ono hour 1779 vehicles passed the intersection at John Street, practically “a SILS’.” »'«» H«tt K-a during the first week following the big slin The Sunday was a very wet and bleak day, yet between 7 a.m. and 5 pm 3007 vehicles were checked. Ihe total for the week was. 29 541 and the motor-buses averaged about 300 a nay. The week-day figures were from 8 a.m. t °Amon’g l 'other figures .taken were the following, which do not include , Time. vehicles.

Buses and Taxis. The traffic problem is also acute at night. The motor bus proprietors hare instituted services linking up with the places of amusement at opening and closin’ hours, and these are supplemented bv a stream of taxis and private cars also on pleasure bent or returning home between 10 and 11 p.m.. This traffic has reached such dimensions as to rerm ire direction and control by the tratfie officers. .. Other cities have the same problems to face, though not so acutely as Wellington with its narrow streets and hilly suburbs. The whole problem is one which is riving the By-laws Committee a rood deal of concern, although the City Council has deferred further revision of traffic regulations until the Government retmlations are brought down. Un to tbe nresent. it is considered that the traffic department has crannied «ifh the position exceptionally well in the city with a limited staff, but the onestion of suburban control is one that has vet to he dealt with. It is noteworthy that with nil the i'nnortnnt functions "hich have taken nlace in the canitnl city m recent years there have been few accidents, and none of a serious nature, while there was not a sinrrle accident in Wellington du tint* the visit of the Duke and Duchees of York.

Cambridge Terrace end) “dVtooTm. 169 025 noon to 12.10 189 152 3.30 to 4 p.m. 316 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. 760 On ’the following day the figure last item, 4 to 6 p.m., was 1191. in the Q gate’s 8 ™ £ . 10-30 to 11.30 a.m. g 1 to 2 p.m. 1266 853 Cuba "st.-Manners Street .... 12.30 to 1 p.m. •• 4 WUHsSt.-Manners ' _ Street corner . 1030 to 11 a.m. 4.4o to 5.1o p.m. Mercer and Willis. St. intersection / (entering or 290 366 M T r 5.20 to 5.35 p.m. 179 8-30 <o 9 a.m. corner 10.30 to 11.30 a.m. 245 736 noon to 1 p.m. 315 1 to 2 p.m. 562. Courtenay PlaceTaranaki Street 11 to 11.30 a.m. 4 to 5 p.m. 280 80S Wakefield Street- r ,-„ nl Taranaki Street 4.45 to o.lo p.m. 496 Lambton Station (an off-time) .. 3.30 to 4 p in. 290