NEW TRAMWAY LAY-OUT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17529, 12 July 1917, Page 7

NEW TRAMWAY LAY-OUT.

CONSIDERED BY CONFERENCE. A conference was hold at the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon regarding tho Tramway Board’s proposals for a new lay-out of tramway lines in Cathedral Square. The bodies represented were tho Christchurch Beautifying Association, whose delegates were Messrs A. Kaye (chairman), S. Hurst Soager, Dr C. Chilton and Mr G. L. Donaldson (secretary); the Christchurch City Council, -represented by the Mayor and Councillors A. A. M’Kollar. P. It. Climio, J. W. Beanland and D. G. Sullivan, Mr H. R. Smith (Town Clerk) and Mr A. 1). Dobson (City Surveyor); and the Christchurch Tramway Board, represented by Messrs C. M. Gray (chairman), J. A. Flesher, F. Thompson (general manager) and E. Turner (engineer).

The Mayor presided and said he had convened tho conference because at a previous conference the Tramway Board had rejected a scheme put forward by the Beautifying Association, and it.was then understood that at an adjourned sitting the board would put forward proposals of its own. He had, since Convening tho meeting, been informed that bis view of the purpose of tho adjourned sitting was hardly a correct one, so far as the Tramway Board’s intentions were concerned, but a friendly chat could do no harm under any circumstances. His personal view of the board’s proposals wa.s that it would ho a great mistake -to discharge all the tramway passengers on the footpath opposite the Cathedral. The City Council certainly did not desire to see any more tramway lines laid in Cathedral Square. He had a report from _ the City Traffic Inspector on the subject, but he had not yet had an opportunity to peruse it. , The Town Clerk read a letter from the Tramway Board dated Juno 20 adversely criticising the proposals of tho Beautifying Association, and giving details of its own proposals for shifting the rails between tho present shelter and tho Cathedral nearer to the Cathedral. The letter contended that the proposed new lay-out would’ considerably reduce interference with other vehicular traffic in Cathedral Square. A furthet letter from the board, doted June oU, was also read, embodying a reply to certain criticism aroused by the hi st. lettei. Mr. Kaye said that he wished to assure the'members of tho Tramway Board that the Beautifying Association was actuated by the friendliest feelings towards the board as a public body. The aim of the association, however, was to make Christchurch, a move attractive and more beautiful place.. The present tramway shelter in Cathedral Square was regarded by the association as detracting from the appearance of the Square, and the association thought that other than purely utilitarian objects should be considered when providing such conveniences in public places. Tho shelter at present obscured one of the principal monuments of the city, and the association had appealed to tho board to separate the shelter into two sections, moving ono section further south and the other section further north than the present shelter. Tho association was willing to put down £250 to help that object. A larger scheme which had grown out of that fundamental proposal was due to the ability and care exercised by Mr S. Hurst, Seager. The association had neither the power nor the inclination to dictate to the board, but they appealed to the board to give due consideration to tho very modest request the association had put forward. > ... Councillor Sullivan said that in his view tho proposal to shift, the tramlines from the wes t side to tho east side of the space opposite the Cathedral would merely intensify traffic, difficulties. People would still wait in the shelter, especially in wet weather, but if the lines were shifted they would have to cross the whole width of the road to get to their trams. Tho board had not yet put forward any substantial reason for the proposed alteration. The ideal change would be ono which took the tramway system out of Cathedral Square altogether, but ho understood that was not practicable at present.

Mr Gray said he did not intend to say much, as tho board’s letter u r as a sufficient reply to the Beautifying Association’s scheme. The board had no desire to beautify Cathedral Square. It merely sought the right to run its cars through tho Square. The tramway shelter was ; possibly the most popular public institution in tho city. Tho board did not want to spend £12,500 in beautifying Cathedral Square.

Tho chairman said that the association's scheme did not call for such a great expenditure. Mr Gray said the board believed it would cost that, and it resented being asked to spend £12,500 of the ratepayers' money. So far as the board was concerned, it had had to postpone many plans for improving its system in order to curtail expenditure. They sought to alter the Cathedral Square lay-out at this stage because they must order the material now if they wanted delivery within, a year or eighteen months. There were frequent derailments now at Broadway’s corner, and tho points at the Bank corner were badly worn.. Renewals were becoming absolutely necessary. They proposed to shift the south-bound lino from too west to the east of the. roadway, and they did so believing that the step would be in the interests of public safety. Passengers for south-hound tram's would no longer need to stand in the centre of the roadway.

In reply to a. request that the City Traffic Inspector’s report should bo read, the Mayor said, ho thought that would not be in order. It was a report to the Works Committee of the City Council, and it had not been before that committee. Councillor Beanland said ho wanted nothing done which would prove a waste of money later on. If the Tramway Board’s proposals would harmonise with plans fbr future developments, that would be very good. He proceeded to deal with the question of a now tramway shelter on the linos suggested by tho Beautifying Association. Mr Flesher interjected that that would mean tho entire alteration of tho whole lay-out in Cathedral Square, Councillor Beanland. continuing, said ho hoped nothing would be done which would defeat the aims of the Beautifying Association. Mr Scager said that they all realised that this was not a time for any but the most essential expenditure. All they could ask for now was that nothing should bo done which would interfere with tho future carrying out of the scheme prepared by the association. He proceeded to quote from a report from tho general manager of the tramways in support of ft contention that Mr Thompson “heartily approved” the association's sohemo, subject to certain reservations. The speaker defended the association’s . scheme against certain technical objections, and offered suggestions for overcoming those, objections. Ho also suggested a raised footpath on the outer side of the present tramway rails in Cathedral l Square, opposite the shelter, as tlie best method of protecting pedestrians against- vehicular traffic. To shift one line of rails away from the shelter to the othor side of the roadway seemed to him only a waste of money, and quite useless. Ho thought they should insist that' the tracks sho'ald not he disturbed. Councillor M’Kellar also opposed tha moving of th* rails. They next

have* an application for a shelter on the footnath outside the Cathedral. Mr Flesher said the City Council had already given the board permission to o.rect a shelter on the south-west corner of tho Cathedral grounds. Dealing with the board’s proposals, he said it was easy to criticise, but difficult to formulate helpful criticism. Ho contended that the new lay-out would not increase the danger to the public. Jt was wrong to assume that passengers waiting for south-bound cars would wait in the shelter. Under present circumstances, unless a change .were made it would be in time impossible to run cars through Cathedral Beware at all. "Whether they moved the south-bound lino or not, they would have to spend £-5000. and the expenditure would certainly not fit in with the Beautifying Association’s scheme. Tie wanted to make that, perfectly clear. The association’s scheme involved a completely now lay-out, together with certain changes in methods c,f car handling which the hoard could not sanction. He was not, wedded to the particular scheme the board was now bringing forward, but be had been convinced that, there was no alternative which conserved public safety so effectively. Ho believed that passengers for southhound trams would use the south-west tramway shelter when it was erected The board had had no details of Mr Kaye’s proposal for dividing the present shelter into two portions, and therefore had not considered if. The chairman asked if the board would now consider it.

Mr Flesher said tho board was prepared to consider anything. Councillor Climio said that it was probable that, the Tramway Board in seeking to run its south-bound lino on the east side of the Square desired to save wear aud tear on its points, by obviating having to cross the crown of the road, swinging to the wrong side. He could sympathise with that desire, but he could foresee that the proposed arrangement would bo considerably more dangerous than the present one. He favoured the “island” or raised platform suggestion,.and (he retention of the rails in their present place. The chairman said that he desired to explain that the association’s scheme, which had been called “Mr Soager’s pot scheme,” was the result of a competition, and Mr Seager’s part in the matter was that of adjudicator. He hoped that the Tramway Board would givo up its project for shifting tho south-hound line. There wore ft groat many objections to the project which had not been mentioned. Dr C. Chilton said that the association liked its own scheme because it appeared a very convenient one from the standpoint of tramway traffic. Tho association took other tilings into consideration beside appearances. Mr Flesher had not convinced him that the proposed change of lay-out was going to help public safety or convenience. Ho hoped tho lines would be left as they were, and that a platform would be erected to ' prevent southbound passengers being run over.

After a. little further discussion the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. Mr Gray remarking that ho hoped that after further consideration the Clity Council would .see its way to sanction the board’s proposals.