OVERCROWDING THE CARS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 200, 19 May 1919, Page 4

OVERCROWDING THE CARS

NEW REGULATIONS. ■ The present overcrowding of trains, which has been tho subject of a protest by the Wellington Tramways Union, willbe relieved by regulations which come into force to-day. This action is being taken as a result of representations that something should bo done to relieve the pressure and avoid a danger to tho public before thq Govornmentregulntions are enforced, on January 1 next. Tho new regulations are contained in a bulletin, issued by Mr. D. il'Gillivray, traffic manager, and are to be observed by all concerned. The clauses are as follow :— (1). Under no circumstances must passengers be carried on the front platform. (2) Passengers must not be carried on front or rear platforms of palace cars. (3) No more than eight passengers must be carried on centre platform of palaee cars. This number only applies to rushhour traffic. In ordinary loading centre platform should be kept as clear as pos sible. ' i . .■ (1) During rush hows four passengers may be carried on the rear platforms of air-braked and combination cars. It must be clearly understood that this rule applies only during rush hours or special occasions. When thero is room inside passengers must not bo carried en tho platform at any time. Deckers.—No more than eight standing passengers must bo carried on top ('eck of small decker cars, and the.rear platform must be kept clear.

The new regulations (writes a correspondent) aro restrictive compared with tho conditions which have been allowed to develop during the last thxeo or tour years in Wellington, and it is extremely doubtful if such regulations can be applied. The crowding of cars at rush hours is permitted in all the big centres the world over/Indeed, >l is only by allowing overcrowding in the evening rush hour that tho groat mass of the public are able to reach their homes in a reasonable time. In Sydney a person is allowed to ride on a ear if he can get space on a etep for one toe and single finger. Ho does it at his own risk, but is prepared'to tako that risk. Anyone who knows Melbourne will recall the manner in which tho cable cars become travelling heaps of humanity between 5 and G j o'clock of an evening. If tho regulations as drafted are to be strictly enforced it j is practically certain that great inconvenience will be caused a largo section I of tlie public, very likely at the expense jof tho revenue. From what can be learned no large city ha 6 been able to prevent crowding the cars at rush hours, land the mere drafting of anti-crowding regulations will not solve the problem in Wellington, as time will show.