NO CHANGE TO BE MADE IN PARKING SYSTEM IN CITY

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 October 1950, Page 4

NO CHANGE TO BE MADE IN PARKING SYSTEM IN CITY

No action will be taken by the Wanganui City Council to alter the present system of motor vehicle parking in Victoria Avenue. After consideringz a comprehensive report on the subject from the chief traffic inspector, Mr H. T. Tipper, the Works Committee, in a report adopted by the councit at its monthly meeting last night, expressed the opinion that the introduction of angle parking in the busiest thoroughfare of the city would present disadvantages which would far outweigh the few advantages to be gained from such a change. “In presenting this report on angle parking, may I say at the outset it is my considered opinion that such a system of parking would create traffic hazards which would outweigh any slight advantage that may be derived from adopting such a method of parking,’’ Mr. Tipper stated. Mr Tipper’s report covered in detail various aspects of angle parking. He said that very little importance could be placed on the argument that because angle parking was considered ideal in other cities and towns, it naturally followed that it would be successful in Wanganui. He pointed out that if angle parking is adopted provision would have to be made for all types of vehicles, not only the motor-car, but commercial vehicles of all types and dimensions. Mr Tipper also referred to the bicycle in • relation to angle parking, saying that it is the most contentious problem. “What,” he asks, "Is going to happen to the numerous bicycles standing against the kerb or leaning against verandah posts? Will It not mean that most of these will be nlaced on the footpath for protection ?” Answering his own questino, Mr Tipper says that the practice of leaving bicycles on the footpath for protection would become considerably worse than it is now if angle narking is introduced. He also says that the possibility of motor vehicles running in and damaging verandah posts and injuring pedestrians cannot be overlooked. “It has often been said that angle narking would give much more parking accommodation within a given area than would parallel parking,” Mr Tipper reported. “This is contrary to fact. What is apparently overlooked Is the distance that would be required for each vehicle when setting out afij’e parking lines. Each space must be of a size large enough tn accommodate the widest of vehicles, which means that baby cars will be parked in spaces large enough to take heavy lorries. This, in effect, would mean a lot of waste snace, but would be quite unavoidable.” Five factors stood out as essential for serious consideration before a change was made to angle parking, the report stated. They were safety, the demand for parking space, the demand for street width, ease in use, and interference with passing traffic.