CROSSING DANGERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1947, Page 3

CROSSING DANGERS

MOTORISTS AND RAILCARS ON WEST COAST WARNING SIGNS SUGGESTED [SPECIAL TO STAR] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The danger to motorists of level crossings on the West Coast when railcars were using the line was emphasised by members of the council of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, last evening. Mr. W. F. Harley (Greymouth) said that during the holiday period extra rail-car services were run. Between Greymouth and Arthur’s Pass two trips a day were run on certain days, and it was not generally known that ’ these cars were on the line. There - had been several narrow escapes from collisions with these.fast-moving rail-cars on one or two dangerous crossings. The council agreed that signs warning against the danger from rail-cars at these crossings should be erected, but it was felt that the association should not be responsible for their maintenance. The signs should be erected by the Railways Department and maintained by the county councils, said Mr. Geoffrey Hamilton. If the association put up one or two notices in this area—a particularly dangerous one in this respect—there ■was no knowing where it might end, i said Mr. Roy Twyneham. The chairman (Mr. W. R. Carey) said that the issue affected all the other automobile associations, and that by putting up these signs the Canterbury Association might embarrass other associations. He suggested that the Transport Department might be consulted in the matter, and that a committee should be appointed to discuss with the Railways Department responsibility for the signs.