STYX-SOCKBURN RAILWAY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24905, 19 June 1946, Page 3

STYX-SOCKBURN RAILWAY

EARLY CONSTRUCTION TO BE URGED ’ IMPORTANCE TO CITY INDUSTRY Strong efforts will be made in Christchurch to ensure that the projected by-pass railway line from Styx to Sockburn is put in hand at the earliest possible moment. Both the Christchurch City Council and the Christchurch Expansion and Development Committee are expected to make to this effect, and local bodies in the metropolitan area will probably be asked to lend their weight to the request: The importance of the line was emphasised yesterday by the'Mayor of Christchurch (Mr E. H. Andrews) in an interview with a reporter of “The Press.” The city, he said, was making a strong bid to secure its full share of the industrial expansion that was now getting under way in the Dominion, but already the scarcity of industrial sites served by rail was revealing itself as a possible limiting factor.

Mr T. H. Langford, in the second day of his duties as public relations officer to the Christchurch City Coun r cil, confirmed that he had already come up against this problem. Several inquiries on the availability of sites for industrial and Business premises have been referred to him, and two of them stipulated that railway sidings must be available. Mr Langford was able to meet these particular requests, but he emphasised that it would become more and more difficult to do so in the future. “Vital to Industrial Development” Mr Larfgford was emphatic in his opinion that the early construction of the new railway line was vital to the industrial development of Christchurch. He added that he would strongly recommend the Christchurch Expansion and Development Committee to press for the early construction of the line.

Not only was it desirable that the w’ork should proceed as soon as possible; but it was essential that the exact route should be defined at once, said Cr. G. D. Griffiths, chairman of the housing and town planning committee of the Christchurch City Council. Until the route was defined the development of the area in every way was held up. The Metropolitan Town Planning Committee would need to go into the question to see how existing zoning arrangements would be affected. For instance, the line would undoubtedly pass through some areas which are now rural, but which would eventually become industrial and resiuential suburbs of the metropolitan area.

Until it was decided whether the railway line would pass between the Harewood airport anc| the city it was difficult or impossible to proceed with the construction o£ the memorial road. If this road was to be cut by the railway line an overbridge would probably be necessary.