HUTT ROAD TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 266, 6 August 1929, Page 8

HUTT ROAD TRAFFIC

COMPLAINTS ABOUT BUSES Complaints that railway buses on the Hutt Road were pushing slowmoving vehicles off the bitumen and that some of them were not carrying the full regulation lights, which were made at a recent meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club, were replied to by the Railway Department in a letter received by the club at its meeting last night. “The traffic on the Hutt Road is invariably very heavy,” wrote the Department. “When passing slow, heavy vehicles, stone lorries, benzine wagons, and heavy goods lorries, an omnibus with its load of passengers and slow acceleration occasionally requires to travel upwards of 100 yards, partly on its wrong side, in order to overtake such vehicles, whereas fast-moving cars are more expeditiously handled. Having regard to the needs of all classes of traffic, bus drivers use every effort to give each vehicle its recognised right of the road.” Referring to the lighting of vehicles the Department stated that it had an electrician on duty at Lambton terminus every evening, testing the lights of each vehicle, and replacing faulty or defective wiring and globes. Occasionally it happened that headlights developed faults on the run to and from Wellington, bu.t this was promptly attended to. All departmental omnibuses operating between Wellington and the Hutt Valley had been inspected by the Public Works inspecting engineer, and lighting was considered satisfactory. A further instruction, the Department stated in conclusion, had been issued to all bus drivers, indicating that due consideration to approaching traffic must be given when passing slow-moving vehicles.