TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26708, 1 March 1948, Page 6

TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Huge Volume Satisfactorily Controlled CO-OPERATION OF MOTORISTS A traffic problem of the first magnitude was handled by transport officials with surprising success on Saturday night. The tasks of controlling the arrival of several thousand cars at the parking areas ne'ar Hancock Park, and their dispersal later, were certainly the heaviest yet undertaken in Dunedin, if not in New Zealand. Vehicles from all parts of the South Island arrived in the city on Friday night and Saturday to swell the already heavy number of visiting cars. Special trains running from the suburbs and express trains from north and south were all heavily loaded with, passengers, but all kept up to time, and all day on Saturday cars in large numbers were seen about the city. Many visitors decided during the day to reconnoitre the ground for the approach at night, and this made the efforts of the transport officers who were endeavouring to make their arrangements perfect for the night’s work doubly difficult. Picnic parties were

sitting on the lawns in St. Kilda streel early start and went to Hancock Pa

ts, while others made a particularly irk.

The evening brought full activityon the part of motorists, 'cyclists, pedestrians, trams and buses, while taxis, which were doing particularly heavy business all day, were added to the throng. The tram cars were heavily loaded early in the evening by passengers making their way to the ground, and the Exchange was crowded as trams and buses ran a shuttle service to carry them. Hundreds of people preferred to walk rather than wait, and there was a constant stream of pedestrians and vehicular traffic going in the direction of Hancock Park.

had an unenviable time trying to do their jobs. The last passengers were taken aboard at St. Kilda at 11.50 p.m., but trams were running as late ag 1.30 a.m. to take people home from all parts of the town.

Official cars which were parked within the display area were used as grandstands by many spectators, and some of the owners discovered that the paintwork of their vehicles had suffered. One of the memorial ambulances was used in this way, and an official of the St. . T ohn organisation told the Daily Times that repair work necessary after such thoughtlessness would cost several pounds. The approximate time taken by motorists to get from Hancock Park to the centre of the city after the display on Saturday night varied from an hour and a-half to two hours and a-half.

Every Street Lined The traffic from the city was heaviest on the Anderson’s Bay road, where vehicles were proceeding to the area three abreast. It was apparent at this early stage that motorists were being particularly considerate to one another and to the transport officers on duty. Every road carried cars, and although motorists have received ample experience in driving in close convoy during the centennial period, the transport crowds of the air pageant, race meetings, and procession day paled into insignificance beside the multitude of vehicles present on Saturday night. Every street within miles of the park was lined with cars, and areas such as Culling Park were covered completely. The Forbury Park grounds had been thrown open to members of the various racing clubs. The traffic to parking areas arrived during a period of several hours, and it was obvious that some difficulty would be experienced in almost every street, as the lines on either side of the street, instead of both facing the same way —into the dispersal direction—were facing in normal parking positions.

It is estimated that about 7000 cars were parked in the immediate vicinity of Hancock Park. They were double-parked and occasionally three abreast in the narrow St. Kilda streets, and most of them were practically bumper to bumper.

Passenger buses and taxis found conditions difficult even in the early stages before the pyrotechnic display began when they were trying to make their way to the park, but in the main they were turned around on their next trip remarkably quickly considering the congestion on the roads. Tram cars running out banked up long lines of cars, but they carried huge numbers of passengers over a lengthy period. An inspection of the parking areas induced a feeling of despair at any thought of untangling the assorted traffic. There were all makes of cars and buses, 1947 models cheek by jowl with vintage specimens, but the traffic officers coped well with the task of assembling them in the parking areas With a minimum of confusion. Motorists had to be particularly careful even in the early evening, as wheel chairs, pedestrians, and cyclists all were intermingled along the roadside. The biggest traffic problem in New Zealand’s history confronted the traffic officers when the fireworks display was over, and the vehicles had to be moved and controlled. A maze of car headlights extended in every direction as the owners of vehicles started up. When the pedestrians poured out of Hancock Park, there was a sea of faces in the traffic-free area around the entrance, and as the people dispersed down the streets it was almost impossible for a time for motorists to get moving.

Good Humour Prevailed Extricating cars from between parked vehicles whose owners were not present was a difficult one which was attempted by numbers of motorists, and cars caught at odd angles across streets were frequent sights in, the early dispersal period. Torches and self-appointed traffic supervisors were active in such cases, and it was not long before some system had been worked out among the motorists. Their commonsense and co-operative spirit were well in evidence, and bumper-banging was conspicuous by its absence. The motorists were in good humour for the. most part, and adopted a philosophic attitude towards the delays they knew must occur. When the, lines got moving, there were unavoidable delays at intersections, where other cars joined the stream, but at the vital spots traffic officers did magnificent work sorting, out the lines. - *

The task of the controlling officials was a most arduous one, but the fact that the dense array of vehicles was cleared away by midnight reflected great credit on their advance organisation. Without their assistance, some fantastic

jams must have resulted. The situation generally was not improved by the fact that some of .the older cars chose to become temperamental at the wrong time, and one was seen jacked up on a grass margin while its owner patiently changed the tyre. The worst .traffic point was the bottleneck at the corner of Queen’s drive and Anderson’s Bay road, where the intake of cars from Royal crescent and Tainui met the other line. Cars were coming in lines three abreast down Royal crescent after several lines merged at Bowen street corner, haffatSHRDL CMFWY . and the progress there was particularly slow Intercar conversation whiled away long waits, and drivers who attempted to cut in on lanes found that an extraordinary degree of co-opera-tion existed among their more patient fellows. Their efforts were strenuously resisted, usually to the accompaniment of verbal advice. The tangle was well sorted out by 11 o’clock, and although the lanes were moving only slowly there was no confusion. .Tramcars trying to get bacs; for more passengers along the, routes met some difficulty in negotiating the lines for the streams of vehicles, and the same applied to buses. As a result, there were unavoidable gaps m the service. It was expected that the buses would complete a round trip from the park to the city and back in about 20 minutes. The first one returned to the park in an hour and 25 minutes. The finish of the display slightly earlier than scheduled also upset tram arrangements slightly for a start, but they kept moving to cope with a huge crowd of passengers. Men and youths were clinging to the cars in every conceivable spot where they could gain a hold, and the tramwaymen must b»”e