NEW STREET WARNING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 144, 15 December 1933, Page 8

NEW STREET WARNING

FIRE ENGINE COMING !

Yesterday afternoon a trial was inado of the first of the traffic, warning syrens which are being installed by the Fire Board and the City Council to clear the way for fire engines running through the city. ; The syren is placed ou top of the automatic traffic signal box at Courtenay Place and may bo operated eitheV at the box, or, more usually, from the> Central Fire Station. From a noise point of view it is an excellent syren— certainly no one is likely to miss it— and it is so wired up with the traffic lights that immediately the signal operates the lights turn to red, stopping all traffic through Courtenay Place and leaving a clear run for the fire engine. An engine running at • call speed reaches Courtenay Place from the station in just about a. minute, ,ahd arrangements at the station are such, that the syren commences, to shriek a little before the engine arrives, and continues until it is well past, so that there will be a minimum disruption of traffic. ' . ... Yesterday afternoon vehicles did not stop in a single line, but were inclined to' pull alongside the next ahead, so closing a considerable width of the roadway. It is -necessary that a clear path shall be left for the engines, otherwise there will be delay rather than expedition, ■ Other syrens will probably be installed in front of the Central Fire' Station, in Post Office Square, and at the corner of Cuba and Manners Streets. Mr. C. Woolley, superintendent of the Wellington brigades, and Mr. L. S. Drake, chief city traffic officer, were apparently well satisfied with the test made of the control systems, from, the box and from the Afire station;