M.O.T. eye on speedsters

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 4

M.O.T. eye on speedsters

The Ministry of Transport will concentrate on enforcing speed limits at Easter week-end, in an effort to conserve fuel. Micro-wave speed detectors would be in full-time use, said the Senior City Traffic Officer (Mr E. E. Dunlop). Normal duty rosters would apply in Christchurch because any extra traffic was expected in rural areas from people going on longer trips. “We hope people will keep their speed down both in the interests of safety and fuel conservation,” he said. The Ministry will continue its campaign against drink-ing-driving with the use of the A.I.D. (Alcohol Impaired Driving) squad w'hich comprises six officers employed full-time on drinking-driving detection. “From time to time there will be short, sharp, injections of effort involving up to 70 officers to remind the public of the campaign,” said Mr Dunlop. The most effective petrol savings are made by intelligent planning and driving, according to the general manager of the Automobile Association in Canterbury (Mr E. S. Palliser). Mr Palliser’s advice to motorists travelling at Easter week-end is to plan their trips before they leave and “ensure that the need to draw petrol coincides with its availability.”

He warns motorists against excessive travelling on Saturday — the only day petrol will be sold — and leaving their tanks empty and unable to be refilled until Tuesday. To illustrate the savings that can be made through intelligent planning, Mr Palliser quotes figures recently released by the association.

“In March this year the A.A. attended 1687 breakdowns, mostly within the Christchurch metropolitan area. This figure compared with 1018 for the same month in 1978. “In spite of an increase of 66 per cent in the number of breakdown services provided, the A.A. achieved an 8 per cent reduction in fuel consumption.” Mr Palliser attributes this success to more efficient planning. “The association has taken several steps to save petrol in all facets of its operations to set an example to motorists,” said Mr Palliser. “This has been helped by the development of a new emergency breakdown service control room which has enabled more efficient movement of patrols between breakdowns, and reduced redundant running to a minimum,” he said. Mr Palliser thought people were becoming more aware of the potential fuel savings of an efficiently-running vehicle.