CITY TRAFFIC.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1952, 8 January 1914, Page 6

CITY TRAFFIC.

FAST TRANSIT COME TO STAY.

HOW TO RBGUIATR IT.^

SOME VIEWS OF "THE MAYOR. The effect'-of the" inereasedft.use'Vbf; motor vehicles in +i!o:fcity : ''streets relation to discussed l>y tho Mayor, of; Mr. J. .P. Luke,' in an 'iiit-orview. ■ with'* a Dominion reporter yesterday. ■■'■Mr '■'■'■ i "Wellington, along with.. ail'Uther progressive cities," said -5Lr. Luke, , -"is experiencing the "effect 'of', changed' methods , iriiich have increased the spe-ed-of pertain traffic in its streets. ■■, The problem in the largo cities of the <Old< World has reached' an acute stage, la London, for oxnciplo, they have found it necessary, on account of the Gad loss of life, and of the number of injuries suffered by people in the streets, to deal with the, question of traffic control specially. Tliat this was-absolute-ly necessary is shown by the record of that city in the last seven yeare. ■' In that period more- than 2000 men,. iromcn, and children have been killed in the metropolitan area, and no fewerthan 100,000 have received injuries. . One of the difficulties that presented itself was the- overlapping of local authorities. Public opinion, however,.:-was insistent that steps ought to be taken, to arrest the slaughter of people, ami a. select committee of Parliament .was set up to investigate the problem. The committee recommended the setting, up of a Traffic Board for London, to bo a. Government Department attached ■to the Board of Trade. .-. . ■•:,' ■■..- ; j Wellington's DlfßcuMes'.v V . "Wellington in its way has its lesser difficulties in regard to traffic control., The advent of mechanical traction 1 has' changed the whole system of communication between different points in tho city, and in Willis Street and Manners

Street, narrow streets which form the principal connecting link between North ami South. Wellington, there'is almost as much congestion of vehicular and pedestrian traffic as in many streets of much larger cities, -which have a greater number of main streets .in which traffic may distribute, itself. In my opinion the previous connoil did tho right thing when , ..they entered into an arrangement' .with tho Government to provide police officers to control tho traffic at the chief points of congestion. Tho marked improvement in tho regulation ef traffic. in Willis Street and Manners Street proves the wisdom of tho council's action. In these streets not only is the rule of tho road strictly observed, but the presence, of tho police has diminished reckless speeding. There are, ef course, limitations of tho services of these police officers, but I do not think it is desirable to increase expenditure to eccurc special police assistance. Vcitcir and Allan's Corner and the Courtney Place tram junction arc places, however, at which improvements could be effected. No vehicle- traffic should pass between the long waiting-shed and the tram lines at the latter place: Such traffic could very easily go round tho small plantation. Slow and Fast Trams Mixed. ''Ono of tho causes of danger k the existence of fast and slow traffic in tho s-amo street. Tlijs is exemplified in Willis Street and Manners Street particularly, where there is a fast tram service, a great deal of motor vehiclo traffic, and also a great deal of slow traffic. At times big traineers fill up a Rreat portion of the thoroughfares, and tho entering and alighting of passengers takes somo time. In fact, tho stopping of two such cars oh tho up and down line simultaneously holds up all other traffic. Tins causes tho driven of vehicles to accelerate their speed occasionally to avoid the delay of being caught in such a block of traffic. Traffic of all kinds, heavy and light, ; s attracted to theso streets also by tho better road surface, ami no doubt a crowded thoroughfare also has charms for many drivers, I think, also, that mpny of the older bands havfi not yet grasped the 'act that there is any other road between Thermion and To Are. As a matter of fact in the '80's it was tho only road open. Improvement of the road formation of certain streets— Victoria Street, Wnkofir-ld Street, TaraJinki Street, and Jervois Quay (at the

southern cntl)—-would tontl to "draw tho heavy traffic vid the through motor traffic out of "Willis and Manners Street. JvMct Bo Provided For. "Proportionately to tho expansion of the city and district mechanical traction must increase, and it, must be provided ' for. The authorities must adjust conditions to meet the growing demands of the community for the rapid transit of goods and passengers. 1 am of opinion- that this community has to lecagniso that mechanical traction is thoroughly established, and will continue to increase. Much good will bo.dono by tho improvement of the road surfaces I have, mentioned in relieving congestion. By-laws can bo useful, and are useful, io_ restrict speeds, but unless the authorities have the loyal co-operation of the people using the roads either as drivers of vehie'es of as pedestrians, tho enforcement of by-laws is difficult. People must recognise that the days of tho old slow methods of transit are past. It is the duty, of the authorities to secure to pedestrians and other users of roads the safest conditions possible, and the putting up of boards defining the speed limits' in certain thoroughfares may add to the general safety. Any disregard by drivers of tho rights of others aiul of the general safety ought to be punished severely. It may ?)o true that motorcars and motor-cycles owing to the case with which they can bo controlled appear much more dangerous than theyactually are, but it is a fact that the'jhave becomo dangerous to other users' of the streets. I admit that a good deal of speeding is indulged in by motorists, especially by riders of motorcycles. The latter arc coming into vevr general use, and they are so easily c-rj-trollcd that riders scarcely realise the rate at which they are going, it seems to me. A hard and fast sncwl limit is very difficult to enforce. It is hard to say whether a vehicle is going 18 or 20 or 25 miles an hour, but it is easy to judge whether the speed of any vohiolo is safo or not. In my opinion the judgment of a police officer on such a ppjn'i should be moro readily accepted when there is a prosecution. . ,\.,\ ■'

Careful Tram Men. "I am frequently in -the streets, '.'iiifl at all hours, and I wish to sny that my clofo observation during the Christmas holidays especially, leads me to tlio conclusion that the motortnen and conductors in charge of onr tr?.mi carry out their duties with the utmost earn and attention, and with a due recrnrd for the convenience of the. trnvclliiiE; public. I pay them thfs tribute bwanso T think they are entitled to it."