TRAFFIC CONGESTION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 257, 13 October 1932, Page 9

TRAFFIC CONGESTION

HASTINGS-NAPIER ROAD -

MOTORISTS' COMPLAINT. THE GOVERNMENT BUSES. Criticism of the Government’s action in running buses on the Napier-Hast-ings road and an expression of the opinion that if the buses were put off the road the traffic congestion would be relieved to a considerable extent was made at a meeting of the executive of the Hawke’s Bay Automobile Association yesterday afternoon. Much of the damage which was done to the road was attributed by Mr R. Kay to the buses, which, he said, were each costing someone £75 per year in licensing fees. They were, however, dojpg far more than that amount of damage to the roads and bridges and they were harming the revenue from the railways which the Government was striving to improve. He suggested that instead of the buses electric cars should be put on the railway between the two towns.

“No one likes meeting one of those buses, as they are too large and take up more than their share of the road, ’ ’ Mr Kay stated. The £75 paid for each of the buses, said the secretary, Mr R. M. Chadwick, was only a courtesy payment, as the Government did not necessarily have to pay anything. He also stated that the County Council had the buses in mind when they limited to six tons the load on the Waitangi Bridge.

“As soon as the Government starts to nationalise business it will ruin the country,” said Mr A. E. Renouf, who went on to say that the private company which was on the road before they were put off by the buses was working satisfactorily financially. They were doing all right until the Government robbed them of it,” he said. Dr W. D. Fitz Gerald: They were a better type of bus, too. “There is congestion of traffic on the road and if the buses were removed it would make things much easier,” said Mr Kay. The opinion was expressed by Mr G. McCormack that there was no possibility of the buses being made to go off the road, and when other members agreed that this was the case the discussion was dropped.