Wary Of Transport Plan

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30979, 8 February 1966, Page 1

Wary Of Transport Plan

A recommendation that the Christchurch Transport Board approve in principle the Regional Planning Authority’s master transport plan, on the understanding that the central area would he t h e subject of a special joint study by the authority, the board, and the City Council, was rejected by the board yesterday.

The recommendation was made by the board’s works and traffic committee. Several board members said they felt the words “in principle” were too embracing, and could come to mean acceptance. Those who voted against the recommendation said they felt that the greatest caution should be observed

Mr H. E. Denton said he could not support the plan for the central section, but he could for the rest of the flat “I think the word ‘principle’ is rather a big stick,” he said. “It is half-way to achieving something. As it is, I think we should sit together and pool our discussions.” Mr Denton said he had been in Christchurch for 60 years, and would hate to see a road through Hagley Park. Equally he would abhor a road through Rolleston avenue and a bridge over the Avon that would destroy one of God’s beauty spots. The master transport plan

might mean the realignment of some of Christchurch’s bus routes. The board should have a report on what might happen. “I'd say 1 am going to vote against the recommendation, purely and simply on the ground that I think we are jumping a hurdle before we come to it. and we might fall before we get to the battle itself,” said Mr Denton. Mr R. H. Stillwell said that he felt that Professor Colin Buchanan should have been told that there was almost unanimous opposition to a

road through the park. He should have been told of the disapproval of the majority of the people of Christchurch and asked to furnish another plan. Questioned by the board’s chairmap (Mr J. R. Smith) Mr Stillwell said that he might be wrong on “unanimous” but he thought he would be right on “majority.” “1 feel that with a referendum the ‘majority’ would have been against it,” said Mr Stillwell. “1 hope that this will be ironed out and that it will

be ‘hands off the park.’ ” Mr Stillwell said he had seen a good letter in the newspaper yesterday morning. It referred to Bealey avenue being a street. Because it was a street, the council might remove the trees.

Caution Urged Mr R. G. Brown said that he was inclined to agree with Mr Denton. “1 think we should not jump too quickly," he said. On the one hand, one was talking about a road through a park. Yet here was Bealey avenue with trees and not a special reserve. The trees were on part of a road. “As the letter said, the whole width of Bealey avenue would be available for the master transport plan." said Mr Brown. “Doesn’t that look better than the taking of homes from Fitzgerald avenue right down to the river. Millions of pounds’ worth of property would be left untouched and the road widened on each side.” “Bit Scared” Mr Brown said he would vote against the recommendation. “I don’t think we can approve in principle the plan, because it is too iffy. I am a bit scared.” Mrs L. E. Macfarlane said she thought the plan needed much more thought. She was concerned about Barbadoes street She thought that to touch Hagley Park at all would be retrograde. The board’s general manager (Mr J. F. Fardell) said he thought that the board had to consider what would be suitable for the board’s buses. The board was not going to decide on a road across, the f.