APPEAL TO DRIVERS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 18

APPEAL TO DRIVERS

‘Exercise Every Care’

The New Zealand Associated General Contractors’ Federation and the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance have exhorted drivers working on the northern outlet contract to exercise every care, says the secretary of the Canterbury branch of the federation (Mr J. J. B. Connor), commenting on criticism of driving reported in “The Press” of June 23. He says the report gives the impression that the conduct alleged is rife in the metropolitan area. In fact there are no Ministry of Works contracts being carried out in that area at present. “I understand that the complaints made by Messrs J. A. Fraser and R. K. Reddy related solely to the speed of trucks crossing Ohoka road on the northern outlet job. “Whilst acknowledging that there is a tendency for drivers to maintain their speed across Ohoka road, I believe that this is not as prevalent as the complaint indicates, and it is certainly not because of instructions issued by contractors. “Mr Reddy’s statement that •some contractors used the roads as raceways' is ridiculous in itself and is presumably a case of exaggeration for the sake of emphasis. “This federation and the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance have both exhorted drivers on this job to exercise every care and would support any action by Ministry of Works to check undue speed. The public may be assured that contractors do not condone unsafe driving and it is to be hoped that private drivers on Ohoka road will, on their part, take due heed of the ‘give way’ notices sited on cither side of the motorway crossing,” says Mr Connor.