TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 22452, 24 September 1936, Page 14

TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —If the latest suggestion of the Automobile Association is carried into effect motor traffic will be prohibited from passing through the centre of the city. A more retrograde move could not, in my opinion, be made. 'The Stock Exchange is one of the few places where Dunedin for a limited period during each week day resembles a busy city' in the activity of its streets. For two hours at noon and from, say, 4.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, considerable pedestrian, motor, and tram traffic is in evidence. This traffic is well conducted, and the present system does not appear to be subject for complaint. Certainly the tram stops tend to cause congestion, one of the main factors being the situation of the tramway time clock. Irrespective of the loading of a tram (it may possibly be filled to capacity), it is not allowed to leave the clocking point until the scheduled hour of departure. At 6 p.m. on August 1, when the thousands of visitors to the first shield match were using the streets, the writer entered a north-bound tram at the clock stop and had to wait nearly 10 minutes before a tramway inspector allowed the journey to commence. Such a stop caused a banking up of tramcars south of the Stock Exchange, and incidentally caused a considerable hold-up of some motorists, who showed apprehension of passing the newlycreated safety zone. Much of the congestion could be reduced by the' alteration of tramway stops. The balloon loop was made to enable the trams to spend less time manoeuvring at this spot, but the tramway people do not appear to make the most use of the loop in this respect. With the natural increase in the number of people using motor transport it is only to be expected that lines of traffic will be longer, and to any one who has been as far north as even Christchurch, the length of our traffic lines appears very small. A line of traffic from the Stock Exchange to the Octagon would be something for Dunedin to be proud of, and if motorists in the line are inconvenienced they will naturally detour without compulsion. ' The position at the Stock Exchange can be improved. At most hours of the day one constable, and often two, can be found near the intersection of Rattray and Princes streets (in bad weather under the shelter of the verandahs they stand for long periods, while their unfortunate colleague on point duty, braves the elements, although traffic at the time may be few and far between). These men could control both the traffic in and out of Rattray street, and also the many pedestrians usually gathered in the roadway at this intersection. At any time when their services were required they would be at liberty to leave the control pofht, as is the case in bigger cities abroad. If the A.A. is successful in its move against the motorists what will be the position of motors, commercial vehicles, and mail vans from the north wishing to call at any of the Princes street entrances to the new Post Office (Building, and what roundabout route will be required from traffic from the south wishing to stop in tl»e vicinity of Woolworths or the Bank of New Zealand ? Custom-house Square is the hub of Dunedin, the place where accidents are infrequent, where our only point duty constable is situated, and where pedestrians, motorists, and trams give Dunedin the semblance of a city.—l am, etc., Why Interfere? September 24.