THE TRAMWAY PROPOSALS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143781, 3 May 1912, Page 4

THE TRAMWAY PROPOSALS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As the tramway proposals will shortly be occupying the attention of the ratepayers, X wish to place before them what, in my opinion, would be the better course to pursue in dealing with this question. lam fully in accord with those who think improved facilities should now be given for moving our population in the town and suburbs, but I do not think the tramway scheme is in any way the right way. Briefly, what I would propose is this, that a modern asphalted road should be laid from Moturoa to Eitzroy for a start, and modern motor ’buses run thereon. Now, first as to the road, and in this connection I would suggest that the Borough Council and its foreman should take a trip to Hawera and see what is being done by the foreman there in laying down a permanent roadway with modern materials and methods. The binding material is not tar, but a patent compound imported specially from England, which is mixed with line broken stone and laid about 1 in. thick on a road in gocxl condition, and thoroughly consolidated by rolling. Another inch of clean stone broker, to about lin. is then again rolled in, and over this is put another inch of the asphalt-treated stone, which, after being thoroughly rolled, is dressed with a coat of tar and sand, and a first-class surface is obtained. Ope half of the road was laid at a time, and ti’affic roped off, very little interference with traffic resulting, however, as the portion laid one morning was open for traffic the following afternoon. This road will undoubtedly last for many years with almost nominal outlay lor repairs. It lias only hod about nine months’ trial in Hawera, but in Christchurch a similar road lias been clown for some years with highly'satisfactory results. From information kindly supplied me by the Hawera borough foreman (Mr. Canton), the cast in Now Plymouth .should not exceed three shillings per square yard. At this figure, and estimating the road to be laid Id yards wide (the width of Devon Street i from end to end, the cost would be £4*224 per mile, or say ££ooo per mile, and the total length would bo very cio*o to four miles, making a total cost of £20,000. To this would have to be added the cost of, say, six motor ’buses at £IOOO each, making a total of £26,009, or about half the capital expenditure on the tram service. Before going on to discuss tile merits of this proposal. I would like to refer to the revolution that lias taken place in road construction since the advent of the motor, and as I believe the next five years will sop almost all commercial traffic at any rate conducted by the motor, it is - more than ever necessary that our roads should be brought up to, date, and that o(V local bodies, should look ahead. A conference of 20C0 road engineers was held in Paris some two years ago, and presented a very full report. I wonder have any of our engineers thought it worth their while to get this report, or perhaps they have never heard of it. There is no doubt that we arc Very much behindhand in continuing to use the old macadam, t which Is no longer suited to the changed and changing conditions of traffic. • A similar conference is to meet in England, I believe, this year, when a vast amount of valuable experience will bo available, which should be in the hands of all local bodies concerned with the maintenance of roads. To show how thoroughly the question is being investigated at homo. 1 will ask you to rc- * produce the following from The Motor of July 11, 1911:

TRIALS OF ROAD MATERIALS. Particulars of the important, trials of road materials by the Kent County Council, under arrangement with the Road Beard, have now been issued in pamphlet form. The object which the Road Board have in view in arranging for the.se • trials is to secure a service tost, under uniform coudi- , tions, of a number of trial lengths of roadway laid down under the general direction and supervision of the Advisory Engineering Committee of the Board, so that a record of comparative results can he obtained in better and more reliable manner ' than is generally obtainable in the case of road surfaces laid down in the ordinary course of road maintenance in different parts of the country. The various lengths will be carefully watched, and measurements frequently taken. Complete records will bo kept, not only ns regards weather conditions, temperature, etc., but also in regard to every detail of constmction. The knowledge and experience gained will be embodied in a report by the Advisory Engineering Committee, which will be published in the expectation that the results so ascertained and collated will be generally useful to road engineers. Altogether, 22 materials are undergoing trial, and these materials are fully described in the pamphlet. They are: Ordinary water-bound macadam. , Ordinary water-bound macadam surface tarred by painting. Single pitch grouted macadam (Road Board Specification No. 3) Double pitch grouted macadam (Road Board Specification No. 4) Durax armoured paving. Macadam treated with Plascom. Cormastik. Tar macadam (Chittenden and Simmons). Tar slag macadam (Constable, Hart and Co., Ltd.). Tarmac. Iloadoleum asphalt. Rocmac. Tar macadam (Taroads Syndicate). Tar macadam (Messrs. Bristowe and Co.). Tar grouting (Messrs. Bristowe and Co.) Roadamant. Lithomac asphalt. Pitchmac. Natural asphalt matrix. Asphalt macadam (Val de Travers Asphalt Co., Ltd.). Trinidad asphalt macadam 3in. coating (Trinidad Lake Asphalt Co.). Trinidad asphalt * macadam (lin. wearing surface on 3in. asphaltic concrete). The road selected for the purpose of experiment is the main LondonMaidstono road between New Elthara and Sidcup, and can be easily reached by motor 'bus or by train from Charing Cross or Cannon Street to New Eltham or Sidcup. The work has already been commenced, one or two

of the lengths.having been laid, and others aro in progress. Included in the pamphlet (which is published at Is 6tl by Messrs, Wateriow and Sons. Ltd., London Wall) arc statistics of the traffic using the road, the specification and form of tender, a table of casts of putting down and maintaining the materials referred to above, and a plan showing the sections of the road.

No doubt these asphalting materials would be expensive to import, but other places have found it worth their while to do so. It is quite possible, however, that when our oil refineries get to work there will be a considerable production of a pitch residuum that may bo suitable for road use, being of a similar character to some of the materials experimented with in Kent. I made this suggestion to our late Mayor, Mr. Tisch, some months before his much-regretted 'death, and I recently cam© across the following, which, coming from the pen of Mr. Henry Sturmey. in the Motor, a well-known Home authority, backs up my idea in the strongest possible manner. Ho writes as follows: “Notwithstanding the demonstrated fact, however, that the spool of the tramcar can be and is at times fairly high, tho fact has more than one: been demonstrated that, from point to point of a lengthy journey through traffic, tho motor ’bus ‘gels there’ every tim-e ahead of the tram, and this without necessarily approaching tin* actual speed attained by tho larger vehicle. 1 entirely concur with the opinion that instead of spending 12 millions of the public money in still further developing tho network of tramways throughout London, the London County Council would be bettor advised were it to it« 12 millions in removing the tramlines which at present exist, relaying the roads with wood or waterproofed road metal, and installing an up-to-date fleet of motor-buses instead. But whether the London County Council can bring itself to scrap its existing plant or no, it would be the height of iatuom folly, in view of the present ‘state oi the art’ in rogryd to motor ’buses, for it to spend another penny—to say nothing of 12 million pounds—in extending the. present system, when it can give the public all the carrying facilities it wants, in tho districts at present untouched by the tram, for 10 per cent, of the money.” I will now enumerate some of the disadvantages, ns they appear to mo, of the tramway proposals. First, tho enormous difference in thy cost of making what is. only an experiment, of whether this town can make a tramway system pay. 1 have not got any particulars of the cost df the tramway schomo before me, but 1 think 3 am right in saying that at least £SO,CO'J is reouired. In the event nl failure, practically the whole of this sum would )*•; lost, but the feature of my proposal is, that if tramcans triumph over motor ’buses as the most economical and satisfactory system, none of the capital would have boon lost with tho exception of that invested in the ’buses, and, further, the tramways could still be laid. I say none of the capital would be lost in the road because, owing to its permanency, it would be a remunerative outlay apart from the question of tramways' It would bo a benefit- to all classes of vehicular traffic, and residents along the road would have their properties increased in value by tho absence great part of tho dust nuisance, and business people in Devon Street would particularly benefit in this direction. Now, before I go on to deal with other points in connection with trams, I should like to refer to motor ’bases, as find many j>eoplo’s ideas of them are founded ou tho obsolete types that have been seen in the- Dominion ; but tho fact is that every year has seen an immense improvement in them, and particularly during the last two years, and the motor ’bus of to-day is as unlike the ’bus of 1 two or three years ago as a present-day railway engine is like the first production of George Stephenson. Scores of thousands, of the best engineering brains all over the world are constantly nt work making further improvements and simplifications, and the motor ’bus is now a reliable and dividend-paying machine, which has banished the horse, as far as ’buses are concerned, from the streets of London, and is being used in na increasing degree by many railway companies in all sorts of country district© to servo as feeders to their lines. While thoroughly agreeing with the improved convenience and standing that a tramway system would give us, we can-, not afford to pay too high a price for those advantages, and we cannot ignore the position of the Christchurch, Dunedin, 'Wellington, and Wanganui Jram services, it being a fact. 1 believe, that none of them are a We to put aside an adequate sum for renewals. I have no doubt I shall be met by the statement that our cheaper electric power would make an immense diiiercnce. With regard to this question of power, however, I have not got actual figures to go upon, but I very much doubt whether, with the growth that 1 expect this town to make almost immediately, gnd the increased use of electricity both for lighting and aWo for cooking, which will be a feature shortly, that there will bo any considerable surplus available for tramway purposes. As a fisherman who has fished the Waiwnkaiho for many years, I know the river pretty intimately, and I have seen it so lowin summer that no considerable quantity of water could be taken from it, and it will yet be called upon to supply a largely increased quantity for Greater New Ptymouth. I am indebted to an article on Motor ’Bus v. Train, whicn appeared in the Motor, for some of what follow’s, and which I have very much condensed. One of the first objections to tho electric service is the occasional failure of power, which may occur from a variety of causes, resulting in tho whole service being interrupted, and a failure in any one car will block the line until the car is removed. With a motor service any mishap to a car only affects that particular car, and a reserve car can immediately bo brought up to replace the one failing. Non-Dirigibi 1 ity.—This is limited to trams and affords no benefit except that it provides against sideslip; but, on the other hand, the tram cannot give an inch in case of emergency, and this has been the cause of many accidents and loss of life. In the case of brakes failing to act, the tram cannot be guided clear of anv obstruction, but must run into anything that happens to be m the way. Congestion and. knots m traffic are rendered more difficult ox rebel through the trams . being unstoerable. This may appear only a remote trouble at present, but in laying trams wo arc providing for many years to com*, and wo shall have the same traffic troubles as larger places, more particularly as from the laying out of our town Devon Street is likely to carry a much larger proportion of our traffic than usually fails to the lot of ono street, and congestion of traffic there may come much, sooner than mauv suppose. Rails on Public Roads. These, even when well maintained, are a source cl

danger and expense to all other vehicles, especially narrow-tyred ones. When ill-laid or badly maintained, the drawback's are greatly increased. Roads laid with tram linos to wear much more unevenly than others and require considerably greater attention. Rails directly affect other vehicles by causing them to skid and subjecting them to strains they are not constructed to bear. Wheel breakages of other vehicles aro too common to attract attention. Continual lateral wrenching loosens the spokes, wet enters, rot sets in, and some day the wheel fails and someone is injured in addition. Motor and other cycles skid dangerously on tram lines and are thus a source of danger to other traffic in addition to the serious risk to the riders. .

Setting Down and Taking X)p Passengers.—Tliis is a cause of much obstruction, anxiety to drivers of other vehicles, and danger to the passengers themselves, none of these troubles occurring with the motor-’bus.

Noises.—Roth trams and ’buses are noisy, but while the noise of the latter is rapidly being lessened, the noise of a tramcar seems incapable of diminution.

Obstructivenoss. —(a) Direct. Under n Beard of Trade investigation it was found, after very careful observation, that the average obstructiveness of the tram and motor-’bus was respectively as 10 to 3. (b) Indirect. The same report says:—‘‘Tramways obstruct other traffic while under repair, which must be recognised as incidental to their maintenance. Repairs arc so frequent that it is seldom possible to travel over four or five miles of tramway route without finding a portion of the roadway temporarily blocked.” Flexibility of Route. —It is obviously greatly In favour of the ’bus that it can alter.its route to suit variations of traffic. "Where good alternate routes exmt, the ’bus can diffuse itself in a way that it is not possible to the tram on account of the cost of track construction. in serving “thin” localities, the ’bus is in far the best position owing to the much lower cost of installation. This is the point that should appeal especially to us, as our whole traffic is a “thin” one at the present time and will be for an indefinite time to come. Traffic in New Plymouth will probably bo considerably heavier in summer, as it should be more arid more a seaside n sort. The winter traffic will he comparatively light, but under my proposal the ever-present interest charge to be met will be loss than half that under the tram system. It must also be remembered that tho present estimated cost is for a single lino service only, but with the motor-’bus the service can be increased indefinitely without monopolising the strict. The Board of Trade report, which was given by persons antagonistic to the motor-’bus, admits that on ordinary roads, tram tracks must not be regarded as part ofthe carriage way available for other vehicles, the practical result of which would be that with regard to Devon Street, it would be reduced by about one quarter, and we do not regard it in its present unobstructed state as being too wide. With regard to the cost of running, the article states as follows: “It was tho misfortune of the motor’bus to be born some ten years later than the electric tram, bo that when the latter, with adult robustness, was taking the country by storm, the former was only a wailing child. Immature and in an experimental stage, the ’bus made naturally an unfavourable comparison financially, and the short-sight-ed public condemned it and laid down tram lines. Tilings have now’ reached a stage, however, when the ’bus has noth-; ing to fear from a comparison, and with every month that passes its position improves. "While the tram has remained stationary, the motor-’bus has been continually improved, and its running costs reduced until rb has reached the plane of real competition with, its rival. And while the prospects of the ’bus grow rosier and its future mere assured, those of the tramway seem to recede.” The prospects of the ’bus are improving in every direction. An improved form of springing will greatly reduce tyro consumption, which again is not so formidable an item as it was, owing to the greatly reduced price of rubber. A carburetter is also promised that will use crude petroleum, and the increased efficiency of engines has largely reduced the consumption of petrol. It is claimed for the ’bus that notwithstanding any present drawbacks, the cost per passenger mile is less than that of the tram, but allowing that the cost is equal, it must be borne in mind that owing to tho cost of installation being less than half, even when the whole cost of the road is charged against the niotor-’bus service, which is obviously unfair, the ’bus has only to carry half the number of'passengers to give the same financial result with, in addition, a much more elastic service. Finally, it should bo remembered that tho tram is a menace to all other forms of traffic, and at Homo it is considered to bo, in many places, an almost intolerable monopoly and mistake. I would also remind my fellow ratepayers that the ’bus service will not involve the paying of thousands of pounds of commission to various experts, but that for every penny spent on the road there will be a solid asset. 1 have dealt with the matter very hurriedly, riot having contemplated writing on the matter until the last, few days, otherwise I could have provided myself with a number of valuable statistics. This communication has readied a somewhat inordinate length, bub the importance of the matter to the town I hope justifies it, and tho more I have considered it tho more I feel convinced that what I have suggested is in every way the saner plan to adopt. Briefly, for under £IO,OOO the matter can he tested, on the other hand £50,000 will have to be risked with all the drawbacks to other traffic. —I am, etc.. WALTER BEWLEY. .