CITY CONGESTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 14

CITY CONGESTION

PARKED VEHICLES PROBLEM IN MANY STREETS NEED FOR BETTER CONTROL Thero are some streets in the city area of Auckland in which motor vehicles can be parked on either side and yet not interfere with tworway traffic; there are others, such as Shortland Street, Fort Street and Little Queen Street, however, in which reform of tho parking regulations is required if two-way traffic is to bo continued in safety. During tho busy hours scores of vehicles may bo seen in these streets parked in such a manner as to give other vehicles on tho road only tho smallest 'of margins in which to pass each other. In Shortlaiul Street at mid-day yesterday 98 vehicles, comprising 92 motorcars, three motor-trucks, two motorcycles and side-cars, and one motorcycle, were parked on tho northern sido of the street, whilo 26 vehicles —22 motor-cars, three motor-trucks and one van —had been left on the southern side. The vehicles on the northern side, or that on which the IYA broadcasting studio is situated, were nearly all parked at right angles to the kerb, and in many cases protruded far out into the street. Many of the newer models of motor-cars also occupied several feet of tho footpath. On the southern sido the vehicles were parked parallel to the kerb.

Tlie result was that tho space remaining for moving traffic was in parts only sufficient for two vehicles to pass, and left a small margin of safety. Several motor-cars were noticed to accelerate at tho foot of tho street to climb tho hill in top-gear, with the consequence that vehicles descending tho hill had more difficulty in passing them than they would have had if the cars had been climbing at a slower speed. In Fort Street tho congestion was even worse, mainly owing to the space taken up by large commercial vehicles that were parked by the kerb. At the Commerce Street intersection drivers had also to contend with large omnibuses as the latter turned from Commerce Street into Fort Street. Little Queen Street was also very congested at mid-dav yesterday. Motor-cars and motor-trucks were parked at an angle to the kerb on both sides of the street, and it was only with difficulty that moving vehicles were able to pass each other.