Main Street Traffic

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 152, 12 June 1936, Page 4

Main Street Traffic

PARKING OF CARS Objection to Imposition of Time Limit MAYOR EXPLAINS NEED “No sooner is a car stopped and shopping commenced than an inspector takes the car’s number so that it will not be parked longer than the prescribed time,’’ stated Mr R. Harding, of Raukawa, in a letter received at the meeting of the Hastings Borough Council last night. Mr Harding complained that during the past month in Hcrctaunga street business could not be done with a free mind because of the 20-minute parking regulations. Mr Harding suggested that the 20minute limit was far too short. He pointed out that on several occasions he had had business Grant’s, Ritchie’s, and Briasco’s, and that the stop should bo enough for these three shops, but according.to the council’s policy the car must be started and moved a few yards so as to avoid exceeding the time limit. “It is recognised that the inspectors arc carrying out tlieir duty, and that some motorists leave their cars for hours; but a genuine business man should not be harassed as at present; otherwise trade might go elsewhere,” ho said.

Mr Harding vent ou to point out that with tho reduced parcelpost rates it was now quite easy to order goods by post from Christchurch and Auckland. He further stated that his wife, when shopping in Hastings, found a notice in her car to the effect that it had been parked over the 20-minute limit. When she interviewed the inspector aud explained that this was impossible, as she had been in. the shop only 10 minutes, tho inspector stated that he thought the car had been parked 20 minutes.

“Country motorists now hare the feeling that their business is not wanted, and they arc afraid to take their cars into Heretaunga street,” concluded Mr Harding. FIRST WRITTEN COMPLAINT. “This is tho first written complaint that the council has had concerning the suggested interference with motorists or shoppers,” commented the Mayor (Mr G. A. Maddison). He said that even this complaint reflected credit ou tho inspector, who had exercised diplomacy and tact in the execution of his duty.

“In so far as the council is concerned, wo have three parties to consider in the matter of parking times and control of traffic,” said Mr Maddison. “Firstly, there nro tho shopkeepers; secondly, tho motoring shoppers; and thirdly, the safety of tho pedestrians and tho motorists themselves. Tho subject is a particularly difficult one. Wo have no desire to interfere with tho facilities for shopping, but there must be some control of the parking of the cars and of motor traffic generally. “It is necessary to remind people who leave their curs standing too long, but so long as they are reasonable and do not take dvantage of tho latitude allowed it is not tho intention of the department to prosecute. Tho number of prosecutions for br.caehes of by-laws in Hastings is very meagre in comparison with those in a number of other towns.

“Wc have no wish to embarrass, or harass, visitors or others in their shopping,” added Mr Maddison. He said that there appeared to bo a tendency ou tho part of many motorist to have their cars parked where they wore shopping and that they disliked parking in a back street and having to walk u matter of 30 or 40 yards. Mr Maddison said he had referred the natter of tho time-limit on parking to tho traffic inspector, Mr A. C. Crawford, who had said that it was necessary to have a time check and that he considered tho 20-minute limit a reasonable one. It was not reasonable to leave cars indefinitely ou the main street, for if that were done, then late arrivals would have nowhere to park in tho street. GIVES EVERYONE A CHANCE. The limitation of the time enabled all motorists to have a reasonuble chance of Hading a vacant place to park their cars near the particular shopping areas they wanted to visit. He hud also pointed out that in some towns the period was only five minutes. “It is significant that the Auckland City Council has decided upon a new schedule of parking times, and this lays it down that there shall bo no parking of cars in Queen street or its environs other than on Friday nights,” said Mr Maddison, who pointed out also that this schedule had tho approval of the Automobile Association. ' Mr Maddison added that he had received from Mr A. S. Butler, who was now on a world tour, a very valuable and comprehensive report of a commission that investigated the question ot traffic in Syraccuse (U.S.A.), aud this had been referred to tho inspector with a view to obtaining a report on matters that would give tho council assistance in the matter of traffic control generally. “In conclusion I just want to say that we have no desire to chase citizens away from Hustings, and wo do not want to embarrass shoppers in anyway,” said Mr Maddison. Cr. I’. E. Loach suggested that perhaps more signs could bo erected to indicate to motorists that there was no limitation to tiro parking times in the neighbouring aud adjacent streets. TOO MANY INSPECTORS? Cr. S. J. McKee thought that possibly Mr Harding was under the impression that the council had too many inspectors. At the time a check-up on licences was being made, and in consequence there was a big number of men wearing traffic cups. “Motorists arc treated very well in Hastings,” said Cr. P. M. Uohr, it-b, reference- to the complaints made by ths Hastings Retailers’ Abso-

ciation, Cr. T. Falconer suggested that a copy of tho inspector's comment be forwarded to that body.

“There is also the point that if this regulation is uot given effect to, then it will react against tho country motorists,” said His Worship. “They will find that the resident motorists of the borough will Do occupying the parking areas to the exclusion of the visiting and country motorists.”

It was decided to reply to Mr Ha.diug along tho lines of the inspector’s comment and to express tho council’s desire in no way unduly to interfere with tho visiting motorist's in their shopping actbL'ies.