CITY TRAFFIC CONTROL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18722, 30 May 1924, Page 6

CITY TRAFFIC CONTROL.

The growing . congestion of traffic in the city's main thoroughfares makes attention to its more complete regulation imperative. The chief traffic inspector on the City Council staff has submitted a large number of suggestions, the majority of which apply most nearly to conditions observable in Queen Street any day. Queen Street, of course, is the core of the problem. Drivers of vehicles ' have 'been accustomed! to use it just as they wish the proposed regulations ' are aimed at introducing more system ( into \ the process. One general observation may perhaps be made on the whole position. While efficient regulation is highly desirable, there is danger of introducing such a mass of rules, such a succession 'of signs, signals and directions, that the driver, in his anxiety to observe them, all duly, may have no attention to spare for moving traffic. - With that reserva-' tion, it may be said that certain of Mr. Hogan's proposals merit careful consideration. The council has approved the plan of prohibiting righthand vehicular traffic at the intersection of Queen Street and Customs Street during $the busiest hours of the day. Just how this will work in practice remains to be seen, - But it must be- admitted that conditions at : this double corner have long called for some modifying rule. For the remainder, the scheme to regulate traffic more carefully at all intersections promises to lessen the perils of the streets. If vehicles are made to observe more .stringent rules at these points, and pedestrians are required to adopt some consistent system of crossing from footpath to footpath, traffic should flow more smoothly < and with less danger of accidents. The details should be, and no doubt will be, subjected to close scrutiny. With that, the report may easily produce useful results especially if it be remembered .that simplicity of working, and not further complication of conditions, should be the main ideal.