ANGLE PARKING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19031, 3 June 1936, Page 4

ANGLE PARKING

30 DEGREES ADOPTED ALL WIDE STREETS BIG COUNCIL MAJORITY, PROVISION FOR BICYCLES

Parking at an angle of 30 degrees for Gladstone road and all other streets with a width of one and a half chains was adopted by the Gisborne Borough Council last night. In addition.the works committee was deputed to draw up a plan for bicycle racks.

There was a. big majority for angle parking, only Crs. H. Holmes and D. S. Thompson voting against it. The decision was reached on the motion of Cr. H. H. DeCosta, who had given previous notice of his intention, and to assist the council in its deliberations the borough traffic inspector, Mr. G. G. Winter, and the Automobile Association's resident patrol, Mr. D. McGregor, were present to answer questions. . Cr. DeCosta said that this was the third time the matter had been brought up by him before the council in the interests .of ,the motoring public and cyclists. lie said that Hamilton, after seven ) years, turned from angle parking to parallel parking, but only for five days, when a special meeting of the council was called to remedy the matter. (Hamilton's main street was hardly as wide as Gladstone road, on which the camber was quite suitable for angle parking. ■■'."' INCOMPETENT DRIVERS In seconding the motion, Cr. G. Bradley Smith said that the main highways inspector favoured angle parking, saying that' incompetent drivers would not park in Gladstone road if they feared running on to the pavement, but would go to side streets. .

Mr. Winter, invited to speak, said he was strongly in favour of angle parking, which would save room. 4-* an angle of 30 degrees, a car would stand out- 13ft. from the kerb, and. when it backed out would not have to proceed more than 20ft. from the kerb. Double the number of cars would find accommodation. Backing out at 30 degrees, the driver would quickly have a good view of traffic, land danger of collision would be very little. Angle parking would be the most efficient way of dealing with traffic at a congested period. In reply to Cr. J. H. Hall, Mr. Winter said that a low kerb should not be any danger to parking at 30 degrees, if, when the car pulled up, the front wheel was allowed to rest against the kerb. Cr. H. E. Maude maintained that parking at 45 degrees was a menace. Would 30 degrees be a danger? ho asked. :« ' "■ the Sharp camber Mr. Winter: No, ,-., .. .'V; <■•■ -?Cr. Maudo: said j tha.tr .had. posed angle parking previously because the automobile associations had advocated an angle of 45 degrees. Cr. Holmes asked if the inspector had tried parking his car at an angle where there was a sharp camber. Mr. Winter said that Mr. McGregor did so on the way down to the meeting, and the average driver should have no difficulty.. If incompetent drivers were allowed to lwndle their cars, there would always be accidents, no matter what regulations or by-laws were in force. Cr. Holmes asked what would be done with trucks discharging loads. The Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., said that in other places such trucks ran in, parallel to the kerb, and the same would be done in GisborriO'.' '''•''

I Mr. McGregor said ho was certain that a 30-degrec angle would be suitable. Ho did not think that two cars would go in the space of one, but thought that there would be;; more uniformity in parking with an angle of 30 degrees. He suggested a similar angle for the post office, and the bicycle stands should bo placed- near the bus stops, to prevent oars from parking on the bus stands, and to give buses greater freedom. Thero should be provision for 32 bicycles in racks in each block. Bicycles should not be allowed against the kerbs in the main street. Any which could not be accommodated in racks should bo left in side streets. .

In reply to questions, Mr. McGregor said that cars backing out from the kerb should give way to approaching traffic.. He had not seen a camber in the main street in other towns as great as that in Gisborne, but he did not think that would cause any worry. He could see no objections to bicycle stands ini front of shops, because it was difficult at present, sometimes, for people to walk off the kerb owing to the bicycles standing against it. A STRONG OPPONENT Cr. J. H. Hall said that he favour- - ed angle parking, if there was no danger, and he was agreeable to give * 30 degrees a trial.

Cr. Holmes said that he had opposed angle parking before, and was still opposed to it as a councillor charged to protect the safety of the general public comprising motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, although as a motorist he favoured angle parking. Gladstone road was not suitable for angle parking, he declared. He would like to know what degree of safety 30 degrees would give. When angle parking operated previously, he had noticed many motorists in difficulty, A motorist backing out would havo his visibility obscured. The driver would have to back out 12ft. beyond the rear of the next car before he would secure a view of the. road. Cr. Maude recognised the disability of parallel parking and was averse to 4» degrees, but was pleased 30 degrees had been proposed. He would vote for the motion, which could at least be given a trial. The borough traffic inspector had been handling traffic for some time now, and had shown much efficiency. Cr. Maud© said he would uphold the inspector's views.

. Cr. P. W. Bushnell said he was willing to support the motion in order to give the proposal a trial, but the council would have to remove the bicycles from the kerb, otherwise a danger would continue.

_ Cr. N. H. Bull felt that after hearing the explanations he would be prepared to follow the recommendations,