MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14156, 19 April 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

MOTOR TRAFFIC.

THE ANNESBROOK CROSSING

DISCUSSION AT THE COUNTY

COUNCIL

OVERHEAD BRIDGE i< AVOURED

.'From "The Colonist,'" April 7.)

Some discussion took place at the rr-.oeting of the Waimea County Council yesterday, in regard to railway crossings and' motor traffic generally. The County Engineer (Mr. G. S. Wluteside) reported, inter alia, as follows :—

As to the .railroad •■crossing, at .Annesbrook, he. thought it nvas competent for the Council to strongly urge upon tlio Government the necessity for an overhead bridge. Motor traffic was bound to greatly increase as time passed. In view of the fact that the advent of motor driven vehicles had completely altered tho circumstances of road traction it was obligatory on the. Government to render travel along this n-'.un road as safe as'possible foi the' lives of persons usfrig this voad. He had taken levels and made an approximate estimate of the cost of an overhead bridge. The cost worked out at under £1000 for the bridge, with approaches lin 20. As to motor traffic generally, this required regulating. Many cars travelled at an'excessive rate of speed, and many cars changed ownership without the change being registered. Many person* after disposing of their old cars, evaded the registration fee by painting the old number on their new cor. This was contrary to the Motor Regulation Act. The Hope motor bridge at Blick's splash had been completed.

! Cr. Best said the crossing at Annes- ! brook v.a? a death trap, and .something should be 4one. He moved that the llailway Department be requested to erect an overhead bridge at thia crossing, j Cr..,. .-Macmahon, in seconding the motion, said that a party in a cur approaching the crossing from the country the other day, not hearing the whistle and knowing that the- train was due, got out of the car to look up the line for the train, when it came past. This showed the necessity for something being done. Cr. Coi'der thought the Department should be instructed to give longerblasts of the whistle when approaching' the crossing: He thought it should bo blown continuously from, say, 200 yards from the crossing. Cr. Drumn'.ond said he had travelled over many crossings during the pa,s.t. •'few'\-months, but considered it the most dangerous ho had seen. He also advocated the cutting down of the hedges. The chairman said the Council could insist on the lowering of tho hedges on the road. He thought the City Council and the County Council should Combine to urge the necessity for tho erection of an overhead bridge nt Anneshrook. He took exception to J some comments that had been made in the press in regard to the regulation of motor traffic. He sjm'i! the Council had taken every available measure the law allowed. The Government intended to bring down a comprehensive Act in regard to motor traffic, but this had not been clone. The Council had placed warning boards in. various parts of | the county. The only way to deal j with the traffic was for the Council's staff to ally themselves with the police, and that would be a most expensive matter. The Council had ('one everything possible, and ho strongly resented the imputation cast ,'unon the Council. As to the Annesbrook crossing, he thought-, perhaps the Department "would install an automatic signal. To catch motorists, driving at an ■'excessive rate pf speed the Council would have to set traps. -<■ ' i Cr. Best said that there \voro n number of car drivers who were not. competent to drire. The chairman said the Council 00-nM not regulate the speed for the Avhr>k> county; the rate would have to bo fixed for various places. The motion was carried. ■, Tho Engineer stated that the otVr < day be timed nine or ten ears passings over the Appleby bridge, and every one l< travelled at more than 20 miles an- { hour. -j