RAILWAY TRAFIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15540, 23 August 1912, Page 8

RAILWAY TRAFIC.

Oli.STlti L'l INII ItA't'TltAV .STUKLT

It will h'-' remembered that at la.-t meetii... „| itio Kxuutivc o| tiie l.'liumber of Ltuiiiue.ie -Mr I',- i'. Online moved u miniher ot resolutions dealing witli llie almve mailer. iney Hem unanimously adopted anil letiiiliivl to a subcommittee consisting ut tilt' president (in - buuuuii), the. mover, and .Ml .-ligo, Willi |x>wur to act. 'J'liu .-iiii-eoininiueo has now addicted the following letter to the Minister of Hallways, mid K-ciiininciids that cvpics bo sent to llie City Council and Otago Harbour board willi a ictpicsl (or llie co-operation of tliesu Ixuliiv^: —

At the last meeting of the execntivo of our ehauiber, the appended resolutions were unanimously passed mid we have ln'cit asked to transmit tnem to you in tho hopo thai the sitltjcU matter vuiitainiil therein tuny iiave your e.ireltil toiisideratiou and attention

11) That tho L'hambnr of Commerce draw Iho attention of the lion, Minister ot liailways to tho tcrious los.s and inconvenience caused to pedestrian and vehicular trallic in the blocking of HuUrivy street by the unnecessary crossing ot goods' trains. (2) That the chamber respectfully suggests that all trucks for private sidings, tor transmission south, including all repairs for Hillside, should leave tho goods yard direct, and all goods trains arriving iruin the toullt should run into the jireN>iit goods yards. , (3) Tho eiiaml>er would strongly urge the Honourable Minister to give this matter his raicful consideration and grant some relief from the ".erioils less now lieitig incurred.

In amplifying the resolutions, wo may •state thai some few years ago, all aocurato tally was l.'iken for one week, when the following information was gleaned:—

(a) 497 trains passed over the crossing | by the main line. "(b) 196 trains passed over the crossing by ill'' flat ion yard line. "(c) 2164 vehicles were hol<l up ut tlio crossing for various periods. (il) Tin- lime allow vehicles were lic]<l up represented in (lie aggregate over six working hours for the week. Tlie question was brought before tho lion. Minister in charge ut tho liino, and a promise was made t liat. as soon as tho new railway station was completed, the number of trains crossing llaltray strcot would bo ruduwd and that there would lie no cause for complaint of the Department unduly obstructing ordinary traffic. Since that time, further inquiries havo been made, and ill place of improvement, il is found Hint both passenger trains mid goods trathe crossing this particular street have been considerably increased. Wo would specially point out that whilst goods trains are marshalled in the railway yard, all trucks for transmission south, trucks for various local sidings in Cumberland street, and even waggons going to Hillside for repairs, pass twice ovor Kattrav street and it is nothing unusual to see this street blocked for fully live minutes whilu n long goods train is being shunted from the goods vard to tlio st-ition platform. We would also respectfully suggest that as there would bo no great difficulty nor any largo expenditure required in arrangement, that all goods trains for the south should arrive and depart direct from the goods \ani. If litis could he arranged, it would reduce the running distance of each waggon at least «no mile, wive a considerable time in shunting, and consequently a considerable saving annually to the department. Our chamber trusts that, in the interests of tho busincMs community of Dunedin, you will consider tho question carefully and n fiord such relief as may be possible under the circumstances.