SPEED RESTRICTIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12355, 27 January 1926, Page 7

SPEED RESTRICTIONS

HUTT ROAD LIMITS UNIFICATION URGED “PLAY AREA FOR CHILDREN* ; The question of speed limits on Hutt road was ventilated at yesterday*# meeting of the City and Suburban Highways Board, when Mr H. D. Bennett urged unification of the limits along the whole length instead of allowing each local body to set different speed restrictions. It was, he said, ridiculous that a man coming out of Wellington at 30 miles per hour should hare, when he reached the boundary of the Petone borough, to drop down to 15 miles. The day had passed when 15 or even 20 miles per hour was necessary to the public safety. Mr R. A. Wright: Why? Mr Bennett: Because such a speed blocks traffic, and people behind have to go round the man who slows down. UNIFICATION NECESSARY The Mayor (Mr C. J. B. Norwood) said that anyone travelling on fTutt! road today would 6ee that the worst part of the road was at Ngahaur anga. Traffic came on to this road at 30 mile# per hour, and then tried to slow down to the regulation 15 miles. He considered that there was a lot in wliat Mr Bennett had said, and believed that the time was coming when the whole matter would have to be taken out of the hands of the local bodies, and arranged by a central authority. In Johnsonville, for instance, the speed limit wa* eight miles per hour. Afr McEwan said that the people of Petone had no objection to motorists travelling at the rate of 20 miles or even more on the main bitumenised highway. In the interests of pedes-_ trians it was, h,owever, necessary to keep the speed down in the side streets. PEOPLE WERE THERE FIRST Mr Wright: I asked Mr Bennett a question just now, and got a very unsatisfactory answer. He says that a reduction of speed from 30 to 15 miles held up traffic, as the man behind had to drive round the man who slowed up* If the by-law were obeyed the whole of the traffic would slow up, so that there would be no question of passing* Mr Nathan (the motorists* representative on the board) held that the! highways were constructed for vehicular traffic. It was ridiculous to ask that the main road ho made a playing area for children. Mr Wright: The people of Ngaliautanga were there before either motor* or sealed roads. You will find jf it comes to be tested out in the Supreme Court that the roads were made foe the people and not for the motorists. Mr Nathan: If you want playing areas in your constituency you should provide them. It is not right to holdup traffic because children want to play in the streets. You might as well go the whole hog and set up goalposts on the road. The Mayor said he was very stronger opposed to reckless driving, but state of things existing at Ngahnuranga was positively dangerous. POLICE CONTROL Mr W. T. Strang suggested that no reallv satisfactory state of affairs would be reached until’ there was police control over all arterial roads. This would have the further effect of scotching/the accusation at times brought against local bodies that they sought to bring in revenue from fines. Mr McEwan remarked that the Petone traffic officers and the automobile people got along well gether; the official stood alongside the borough inspector. Mr Nathan: Yes. and since he has been standing alongside him and cheeking off the times there have teen 80 per cent, less prosecutions. It was decided that the Mayor should discuss th* 3 situation with the Commissioner of Police, and see if some arrangement for an improvement in tne speed limit through the townships could not be arrived at.