NEW TRAM LOOP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20539, 14 February 1935, Page 4

NEW TRAM LOOP.

Pretest Made by Fendalton Ratepayers. A deputation of ratepayers from the Fendalton Riding placed an objection before the Waimairi County Council last night to the provision of a Y loop at the Fendalton tram terminus. It -was stated that the construction of such a loop would endanger the safety of traffic. There were 500 children at the school, and about 200 of them had to cross the tramline at the terminus in going to and leaving school, many of them on bicycles. With congested traffic and the narrowness of the road, the provision of a loop such as was proposed would increase the danger of accident. It was decided to write to the Tramways Board requesting it to reconsider its decision to run a one-man tram service on the Fendalton line. If the board could not reverse its decision, it was requested to place the loop at Otaio Street, ten chains further up Burnside Road than the present terminus.

Danger of One-man Trams Stressed.

The dangers to users of one-man trams on the Riccarton route were represented to Mr G. T. Thurston at a special meeting of the Upper Riccarton Burgesses’ Association last night. Mr Thurston took the opportunity to outline the Tramways Board’s financial policy since its election in 1933. The new board, explained Mr Thurston. had decided that a rate was unavoidable, and had called for a report upon rating methods from two prominent city accountants. The old board had appropriated money from funds to meet deficits. The new board inherited a deficit of £SOOO, which it endeavoured to meet by the levy of a rate, since when the traffic had shown a definite improvement. With finances still in a parlous state, the board had to consider the most economical method of improving the Riccarton service. The institution of one-man trams had given twenty-four-minute and twenty-minute services instead of a half-hourly one, and at a saving of £676. The element of danger, according to speakers at the meeting, consisted in the risk of motor-cars running down tram passengers who had to alight on the traffic side of the one-man tram. Mr Thurston promised that the board would do all in its power to eliminate the danger.