IMPROVED LIGHTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23227, 22 December 1938, Page 15

IMPROVED LIGHTING

CHRISTCHURCH STREETS £45,000 TO BE EXPENDED [by telegraph OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday A comprehensive street lighting scheme with a capital cost of £45,000 is to be undertaken by the Christchurch City Council. It "is planned to ensure greater safety on the roads and bring the city yito line with modern requirements in street lighting as laid down by the British Ministry of Transport. The scheme will involve the purchase of a large amount of equipment and provides for the classification of certain main streets to provide for peak requirements. Although details of the method of financing the undertaking have not yet been determined by the council, an increase from 4s to 6s 9d in the street lighting rate, equal to 1 per cent of the total rates paid—would be required to meet the scheme as prepared by Mr. J. Forsyth, city electrical engineer.

"Large quantities of statistics have been prepared ' from time to time in different countries with a view to demonstrating the value of adequate street lighting in reducing the number of accidents which now occur on the roads at night," stated Mr. Forsyth in his report. "Much of this data has been inconclysive, but sufficient has been reliable to indicate that good street lighting is an important factor in improving safety on the roads under existing night conditions. "There is little doubt that the use of bright headlights in built-up areas is a real source of danger. It is in these areas that the possibility of accident is most prevalent, yet if the quality of the street lighting is poor, the use of headlights is a necessity. Consequently, as stated in the recommendations of the British Ministry of Transport. the lighting of main traffic routes should at ieast be sufficient to enable the use of headlights to be dispensed with. "The large number of cyclists using the streets in Christchurch places this city in a peculiar position in this matter-, and undoubtedly increases the need for good street lighting."