RICCARTON TRAM PASSENGERS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21420, 12 March 1935, Page 10

RICCARTON TRAM PASSENGERS

DANGERS OF ALIGHTING IN ROADWAY COMPLAINT TO TRAMWAY BOARD An allegation that the unloading of trams in the centre of Riccarton road was unsafe was made at the meeting of the Riccarton Citizens' Association last evening. It was decided to send a letter to the Tramway Board asking that arrangements should be made to unload passengers near the footpath. Mr J. J. Staples, who raised the question, said that from Division street west passengers were deposited in the middle of the roadway. It was very dangerous, because not all motorists moved along slowly. The new one-man trams were not made to unload passengers on both sides, and depositing passengers in the middle of the road left the way clear to a bad accident. "If somebody was killed, arrangements would speedily be made to deposit passengers near the footpath," said Mr Staples. Mr R. Hepburn: Would you describe the trams as death traps, Mr Staples? Mr Staples: No, but the road is a death trap for passengers. Mr H. Manhire, in supporting Mr Staples, said that if the Tramway Board were written to, it might also be mentioned that the Riccarton cars did not run strictly 10 time-table. It was a nuisance to all passengers.