HUTT ROAD LEVEL CROSSING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 287, 4 September 1928, Page 10

HUTT ROAD LEVEL CROSSING

WHY IMPUTATION VANISHED CONFERENCE TO BE CALLED There seems to be general agreement that a traffic way over the railway tracks should he provided at that point where the Hutt Road crosses the lines near the Petoue Esplanade. The suggestion—not by any means a new one—has been freely aired at recent meetings of the City and Suburban Highways Construction Board, but whilst the board itself, and its members individually (as representative of the local bodies immediately concerned) would like to see this work put in hand, the board has no legal authority to do it under its constitution. That being the case, it was thought best to appoint an independent delegation to wait upon the Prime Minister to discuss the matter of the construction of a ramp or overbridge. However. when the delegates assembled in the lobby of the House,- prior to seeing the Prime Minister, they discovered that there was such a variance of views as to what basis of payment should be suggested that the interview was declared “off.'’ The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. G. A. Troup) was giving evidence before the Local Bills Committee at the time, and for that reason could not attend. It seems that some local body, representatives thought that, in the interests of traffic safety, the Government should shoulder the whole of the burden, as it had done for other ramps over railway lines in the Hutt A alley; others thought that the local bodies might contribute 50 per cent, to the Government's 50 per cent.; some thought the work might be done out of Main Highways Board or petrol tax funds; and others again held that it was the sole responsibility of the Main Highways Board. None favoured the idea of the overbridge being the sole liability of the local bodies. The Main Highways Board has already been consulted in the matter and has ruled itself out by stating that the Hutt Road is not a main highway. This has puzzled a great many people, but the explanation is a simple one. For all practical purposes the Hutt Road is just as much a main highway as any other one in the country, but for the purpose of better control in its macdam days, it was declared "a public street” under the control of the Wellington City Council by the old Hutt Road Board (which preceded the local Highways Board). It now remains to be seen whether the Main Highways Board can maintain this legal fiction, and so escape liability for any expenditure on the Wellington-Petone Road, as it has done 'tip to the present. In any case, the matter is not to be allowed to drop. The Mayor stated yesterday that it was his intention to call a conference of all parties concerned in the project to see if they cannot come to some unanimous decision with a view to calling on the Prime Minister. Mr. Troup believes the overbridge to be a real need, and that without it there will always be an element of danger on the level crossing to all road traffic. WHO SHOULD PAY FOR IT?. The questions of constructing and paying for a ramp over the railway crossing at Petone were discussed at the meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club last night. The chairman (Mr. F. W. Manton) said that they were agreed that a ramp was necessary, but the question was one of finance. The Main Highways Board said the petrol tax could not be used for it, as that would require an amendment of the Act. Some of the members of the City and Suburban Highways Board were anxious to get a motion through to allocate £5OOO, but he was against that as he thought it was a Railway matter. The .Main Highways Board could not do it because the Hutt Road was not a main highway, and the Act would have to be amended to make it a main highway. Mr. A..E. Batt: And then they can use petrol money for putting ramps over railways. The secretary said he had seen Mr. Furkert, of the Public Works Department, and there was a suggestion in the department that there should be a subway instead of a ramp. The Railway Department had agreed in all new railways construction to have ramps instead of level crossings. He had also seen Mr. Sterling (Railways manager), who was sympathetic with the idea of constructing a ramp. Mr. I. V. Wilson thought the Railway Department should pay for the ramp, but how were they going to get it done? He moved that the construction should be paid for by the Railway Department and the local bodies, further expressing the opinion that the construction of the ramp was preferable to the widening of the Hutt Road. Mr. A. J. Curtis seconded the motion, which was carried.