TRAFFIC CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 97, 10 July 1946, Page 5

TRAFFIC CONTROL

INSPECTOR'S REPRESENTATIONS ENDORSEMENT BY COUNCIL Chief Inspector Hodgson of Hamilton and Inspector Sharp (Whakatane) conferred with the Borough Council last Monday evening on the various problems confronting the town in view of the growing traffic volume converging on it. As a result the Council decided to support the main points raised by the Traffic Officer and to co-operate as much as possible.

Inspector Sharp's greatest point was the elimination of the parking of vehicles behind other angle-park-ed vehicles in the Strand. Under the existing regulations, he said it was possible for motorists to do this without fear of prosecution., .The practice, was a dangerous one as well as an inconvenient one and should be stopped. It could only be controlled by amending the existing regulations by means of a new bylaw. He mentioned also the common practice of heavily laden vehicles pulling up in the Strand and unloading across the footpath into the various business premises. Wherever possible this should be eliminated. • ••

The Mayor warmly ' agreed with the first request but pointed out that in Whakatane many premises had no rear entrances and were compelled to use the public egress. Chief Inspector Hodgson agreed that too many by-laws were inadvisable. He mentioned however that Whakatane was a growing town with a number of traffic problems which would become aggravated as

time went ort unless grappled with now. He suggested that parallel parking was necessary to overcome the danger in the narrower streets, and added that the policy of the Department was to educate the motoring public rather than to create a growing revenue from fines. He suggested that as in other centres, the hours for unloading heavy trucks in the Strand could be fixed up to 10 a.m. and between 3 and 5 p.m. Inspector Sharp mentioned the necessity for providing an additional parking area on the Harbour Board's reclamation, to cope with the growing traffic. This should be properly laid out and lighted. The public school pedestrian crossings were likewise in a dangerous position and he recommended that it be marked well away from the McAlister Street corner and the school entrance shifted to a point in agreement. Cr Shapley contended that if parallel parking were enforced in one section of the town and angleparking in another there would be the utmost confusion on the part of motorists. Cr Sullivan said he welcomed the suggestions and moved that the Borough Foreman and Inspector Sharp go into the matter of providing the additional parking area for the town, further the Road Services be advised that the delivery of goods must be made by rear entrances to premises wherever possible and that the School Committee be requested to shift the main gate to the Infant School further up the road to agree with a new pedestrian crossing and that it be asked to institute the school patrol system again.