SWANN’S ROAD BRIDGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24901, 14 June 1946, Page 2

SWANN’S ROAD BRIDGE

-—* “ DISMANTLING NOT INTENDED »’ REPAIRS TO PROLONG LIFE OF STRUCTURE The Christchurch City Council has ho intention of dismantling the Swann’s road bridge. That was made clear yesterday by the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews), when a letter from an Avonside resident, W. A, Taylor, was referred to him. Mt Andrew* said the Swann’s road bridge would be kept in use as long as possible, and, With repairs, would give good service tor some years. It would be time enough then for the council to decide whether a new bridge would be necessary. The correspondent Wrote as fob lows: “In your paper appears the statement that the Christchurch City Council does not Intend replacing Swanns road bridge, which has been condemned, but is to favour the State house settlement lying between Avonside ahd Dallington with a traffic bridge in lieu of the footbridge not far away from them. Quite right in its way, but why penalise the portion of Avonside which has paid rates for more than 25 year*, cutting them off from the nearest shopping centre' in Richmond? Swanns road and Retreat road carry through traffic to New Brighton little short of Woodham road, Which serve residents living more southerly in the city.” A careful examination Of all the evidence including the trend of population distribution and the housing developments on both elde* of the river, had convinced the council that the bridge at North Avon road was necessary, said Mr Andrews. This would give Avonside residents easy access to the shopping centre at Richmond and to the Richmond trolley-bus route. It was little, if any, further for people in the Swann’s road area to use this bridge to reach the main shopping centre and would be shorter in some cases. It would, he agreed, be a little further to reach the shop* further south in Stanmore toad. The decision of the council merely meant that instead of rebuilding the Swann’s road bridge a new bridge would be built. In addition, at North Avon road. The new bridge would lighten the traffic over the Swann’s road bridge, on which repairs would be made to prolong its life. He thought there would always be a nee'd for a bridge at this point, even if it were only a footbridge.