LEVEL CROSSING DANGER

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20952, 3 November 1939, Page 4

LEVEL CROSSING DANGER

Members of the Hamilton Borough Council gave expression to strong public opinion when on Wednesday night they discussed dangerous level crossings in the borough. The Seddon Road crossing has already been allowed to take far too tragic a toll. Something must be done, and quickly, to eliminate this death-trap before it claims further victims. This one crossing has been the cause of half a dozen serious accidents in the past six months and public feeling will not allow the present position to continue indefinitely. Every day the crossing is allowed to remain unprotected it is a menace to users of the road. It is true that the Government has in view a comprehensive scheme for the building of new stations at Frankton and Claudelands and the lowering of the railway through the town, and naturally a decision on that important and costly work cannot be hurried unduly, but if that decision is to be delayed much longer, provision should be made immediately at the various crossings to safeguard the travelling public. Even if a decision should be made at once to proceed with the major work it would be some time before trains would run on the lower level, and it cannot be contemplated that the present deathtraps should be allowed to remain awaiting more victims. There is therefore no sufficient reason why steps should not be taken at once to install effective warning devices, at least at the Seddon Road crossing. The Government has embarked on an expensive but very necessary programme of eliminating level crossings in the order of their urgency. It is obvious that the Seddon Road crossing should be high on the list. Probably no other crossing in the country has a comparable record. It may be said there is no need for accidents if appropriate caution is taken by drivers, but the fact remains that accidents are occurring with monotonous regularity and will continue until the danger is removed.