TO TEST NORWAY STREET

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 131, 4 June 1936, Page 8

TO TEST NORWAY STREET

(To the Editor.) Sir,—The tally for Taranaki Street traffic from Courtenay Place to Ghuznee Street is quoted by the city authorities as -5204, and this street is only 49ft 6in wide, including footpaths. The tally for traffic in Aro Street, with a similar width, is given as 1456—50 the Mayor when he quotes £200,000 as the cost of the Norway Street route to the western suburbs is out in his estimates, because this price includes the widening of Aro Street, and these figures show that this is not warranted for another fifty years. Mr. Morton's report states that the only requirement in Aro Street is the duplicating of some 37 chains of tramway track to meet the needs of the scheme—a very different aspect, from .the Mayor's idea. Willis Street has . a tally of .7991, ineluding trams, and Cuba Street, another 49ft 6in thoroughfare, carried 3490 vehicles. I quote these figures in order that when the new loan schedule is brought down next spring the City Council will not prejudice the Norway Street route by including street widening. The council should consider the adoption of electric trolley buses and provide in the estimates for the Norway Street tunnel and slight improvements to the present Norway Street and try this out before any further road work. The council could also put on special trolley-bus services for the civil servants employed in the Lambton Quay area and run them through Sydney Street or via Norway Street, according to the preference shown in a referendum vote. Then the city officials will get a truer estimate of the requirements of the western suburbs.—l am, etc., ■ Q.E.D.