CITY TRAFFIC.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 25 November 1930, Page 13

CITY TRAFFIC.

AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OPERATES. NUMEROUS BREACHES. • ■ Although a good deal has been said and written concerning the new GrouseHinds system of automatic traffic control, •which came into operation yesterday at - the corner of (Colombo and Cashel streets, a big proportion of the public who passed over the intersection in the afternoon found the signals confusing. Those who found, the time to: stop and study the system for a few moments, however, were soon able to master it. The system, which will operate day and night continuously, was turned on at 2.30 p.m., by Cr. E. H. Andrews, chairman of the City Council By-laws and Finance Committee, others present being the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Neville), the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr H. Macintosh), a number of other Councillors, and a fair gathering of the public. ! Offending Pedestrians. Those who appeared to pay most attention to the signals were motorists, and those who paid least were pedestrians, although cyclists were not far behind the latter in this respect. Pedestrians have for so long been allowed to ignore all traffic signals in Christchurch that when the lights were seen by them' yesterday they took it for granted that they were, as usual, to be exempted from observance of the system. The result was that the traffie inspectors stationed at the- intersection had a busy time explaining to offenders just what the lights meant. The offenders were told that if they continued to walk over the crossing when the lights were against them they would probably be knocked down by vehicles which had the right-of-way". One woman when spoken to by an inspector said that no pedestrian would ever think of looking for signals placed on a telephone pole eleven feet above the roadway, as these signals are. Other offenders offered the suggestion that the. lights should be placed in the centre of the roadway; In a good many instances drivers of motor-vehicles who attempted, to turn to the right were pulled up, and made to. go • ahead, . for no right-hand turn* are allowed. Others who endeavoured to proceed when the signals were against them- were stopped. Some managed to get as far as the other side of the crossing before being pulled up, very few, if any, being lucky enough to escape such attention. Some of the erring cyclists did not like being compelled to dismount, bnt the majority took the correction in good part. XtagiSßt PeriodThere was a large gathering of th« public at the intersection to see the operation of the system at the busiest time (5 to 5.15 p.m.), but if th'ey expected a collision to occur they must have been disappointed, for although there were many who failed to observe the signals, no one was struck by a | vehicle. " There was some comment concerning the time for which the various lights are exhibited. Green, which means "Go," is shown for twenty seconds north and south, amber ("Caution") being then displayed for seven seconds. Simultaneously red ("Stop") is shown for 27 seconds east and west. Bed i» next shown for sixteen seconds north and south, gfeen showing east and west i at the same time for ten seconds, followed by amber for six seconds. It was suggested that there should be a longer period for the green light, but as was explained by Mr Macintosh the system is as yet only in the experimental stage, and the periods for which the lights are displayed may be changed if such a course is considered necessary.