DANGEROUS CROSSINGS

Wairarapa Daily Times, 26 June 1936, Page 6

DANGEROUS CROSSINGS

GOVERNMENT’S PLAN. WELLINGTON, Thursday. The sum of £150,000 is to be expended by the Government this year in the elimination of dangerous level crossings. In making this statement to-day, the Minister of Public Works ( the Hon. R. Semple) said that there were sixty-two crossings that would be tackled first, as there had been loss of life associated with practically all of them. The* money to be expended this year would come from the Highways Fund. He aimed at having 200 crossings eliminated, and the work would take approximately five years to complete, at a cost of about £1,000,000. This year tho scheme would provide work for between 300 and 400 men, and a commencement would be made almost immediately. Mr Semple said that there were about 530 level crossings on the main highways, and if 200 were eliminated most of the level crossing accidents would be prevented. At present 27 crossings were either in hand or plans were nearing completion; while surveys were in hand for a further 90 eliminations. Mr Semple said that while the Highways Board was finding the £150,000 for this year’s work, the original programme provided that the Highways Board should find half the total cost, the Unemployment Board two-sixths, and the Railway Department one-sixth.—(P.A.)