HUTT VALLEY TRAFFIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 3, 4 July 1938, Page 10

HUTT VALLEY TRAFFIC

WHY CONTROL IS LOOSE

EARLY ACTION LIKELY

CO-OPERATION OF BOROUGHS

An early decision by the local authorities in the Hutt Valley who are deciding the vexed question of traffic control is expected. The subject was fully discussed at the last meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council, when Councillor C. J. Ashton urged that a full-time traffic officer should be appointed. It was decided that the bylaws committee should report. Opinion at the last meeting of the Petone Borough Council was divided between seeking the co-operation of Lower Hutt and appointing a full-time traffic officer for Petone. The majority decision was that the joint committee which considers matters of interest to both boroughs should bring down a report. Some criticism has been levelled against the local bodies in the Hutt Valley for not taking more vigorous action in controlling traffic. The Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) drew attention in the Supreme Court to the frequency with which the 30 m.p.h. restriction was broken, and commented that useful revenue could be derived from prosecuting offenders. The Mayors of Petone and Lower Hutt replied to this criticism in a statement in "The Post." The reason why action has not been taken earlier is that the borough councils were under the impression, gained from official sources, that the control of traffic in the Hutt Valley was to be in the hands of one authority, which would require the revenue from driver's licences. For nearly three years past, action on the part of the Transport Department has been regarded as imminent. The first intimation to the contrary was a letter received at the last meeting of the Petone Borough Council from the Commissioner of Transport (Mr. G. L. Laurenson) stating that the council was under a misapprehension as to the Government's proposals, as what was at present being considered would not materially affect the revenue the council would receive from driver's licences. He suggested that the employment of a full-time inspector was justified. UNIFICATION OF CONTROL. "When the unification of transport control was first mooted it was thought in many circles that the police would be given full control of the roads. At present the police deal with traffic offences in the usual coui|3 of their duties, and action is also taken by inspectors of the Transport Department, the City and Suburban Highways Board, and the various local bodies. Little has been heard of late of full police control. In the Hutt Valley action has been, expected along the lines of a metro^ politan board in Wellington extending its operations to the valley, or a metropolitan board comprising Lower Hutt and Petone and possibly Eastbourne, or full.- control by the Transport Department. Action was deferred every year by the boroughs in the hope of something being done, bu£ a.t the last local body elections there was a distinct expression of .opinion favouring action by the local bodies concerned, and now the letter rec/ived by Petone from Mr. Laurenson should remove the last obstacle blocking early action. The inspectors of the Hutt Valley boroughs have not been able to give much time to the prevention of traffic offences as they are employed on a variety of duties,. which include issuing drivers' licences, issuing building permits, inspecting the erection of buildings, inspecting premises under the Health Act, inspecting drainage work and all sanitary services, and taking action in cases of infectious disease. However, a certain amount of time is given by borough inspectors to traffic control, particularly on race days, and at most of the sittings of the Court offenders are prosecuted by the local body for breaches of the traffic bylaws. It is not unlikely that Eastbourne will take steps to enforce more vigorous traffic control. At meetings of the Borough Council complaints have been made about speeding motorists, heavily-laden lorries travelling at too great a speed, and residents walking on the road. A constable is stationed at Eastbourne and Transport Department inspectors visit the eastern harbour bays at intervals. On fine Sunday afternoons there is a crush of cars at Day's Bay that makes motoring difficult and dangerous. A favourite speedway on any day of the week, and particularly at the time when people are going to and from work, is the concrete Seaview Road. A traffic inspector would reap a rich harvest on this road. INCREASE IN TRAFFIC. The great development of the Hutt Valley during the past few years has been attended by a corresponding increase in the traffic. Also, the Hutt Valley is "one of the two main routes northwards from the city. Many mot- i orists think they can maintain through the boroughs the speed they attained on the Hutt Road, and- this is one of the reasons for the large number of accidents in the valley. Another reason why closer traffic control is needed is the number of lorries serving the industrial areas in the valley. Attention has been drawn to the great number of cyclists who ride without lights at night in the lower part of the valley. The unlighted cycle is a frequent cause of accidents. Full-time inspectors would have plenty to keep them occupied in watching the Hutt Road in Petone and Lower Hutt, High Street, Jackson Street, Cuba and Victoria Streets, the Esplanade, Randwick Road, and Wai-* wetu Road, and, when it is completed, the Western Hutt Road. All those roads carry big volumes of traffic. In addition, dozens of tricky intersections are traps for unwary motorists, particularly if big lorries and cyclists arrive at the same time.

The main road from Taita northwards is well patrolled by Transport Department inspectors, and there have been few complaints lately about traffic control in Upper Hutt.