HEAVY ROAD TRAFFIC OVER HOLIDAY

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 October 1946, Page 2

HEAVY ROAD TRAFFIC OVER HOLIDAY

MANY BREAKDOWNS OF OLD VEHICLES WEATHER PLAYS FAIR. Despite uncertain weather at periods most Wanganui residents were able to carry out their Labour weekend holiday plans according tn schedule. The exceptions were those optimistic motorists who undertook longer journeys than usual and trusted to luck that the.,- war-weary cars and tyres would bring them 'home again without incident. A large proportion of such velilc.es failed to do so, and calls on the Automobile Association (Wanganui) patrols and garages with breakdown vans were more than could be expeditiously handled. As a result some motorists were still marooned on country roads in a coid southerly until after dark on Monday night. Tlie lifting ot petrol restrictions tempted more motorists than for som e considerable tirr,? to make long distance trips, and the through traffic which stopped at Wanganui on Monday for petrol had by nightfall almost exhausted the reserve stocks cf the one service station open for sales. The demand at this station was so great at times that vehicles had to take their place in the queue to get served. Races at Awapuni on Saturday and Monday, at Stratford on Saturday, and Waverley on Monday were responsible for much of the increased traffic on the roads north and south. A large number of motorists from other places spent the holidays in Wanganui also, and hotel accommodation was at a premium. No extra train services were provided over the holiday period, ant this also contributed largely to the Increased road traffic.

The weather for sightseeing around Wanganui was suitable on Sunday and Monday, and local beauty spots all had their quota of visitors. More people than usual visited the Serjeant Gallery and the Alexander Museum. * these places creating particular interest among those who were holidaying in Wanganui.

Most holiday makers went to bed on Monday night with the comforting thought that they would only have to wait about two months for the Christmas break. Exceptions were possibly the motorists who had fared far but not wisely, and had had to be towed home.