VALUE OF SAFETY ZONES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 47, 11 March 1937, Page 4

VALUE OF SAFETY ZONES

Idea Approved by Pedestrians and Motorists HAS IT BEEN DROPPED? "Has the Borough Council dropped the idea of safety zones for pedestrain traffic f" was the question put to a Herald-Tribune representative this morning by a leading businessman, who drew attention to a wild scramble made by two women to avoid a passing motor-car. "It would be a pity if they have, for it was a splendid idea in my opinion," he added. The question prompted the reporter to cnake further inquiriea and an investigation. These revealed that quite a number of people had apparently been asking themselves the same question. It was significant of the people spoken to by the reporter that not one voiced objection to the system of safety zones, even those motorists approached for an opinion expressing approval of the idea. "If the council does nbt intend to go on with the idea, then they should tell us so," said one motorist. ''There was a lot of fuss about it before Christmas, but since then nothing has been done, and at cnany of the corners it is practically impossible to tell where the lines were. My own experienee was that both the motoring and the pedestrian traffic was improved by the xestrictions. Motorists were slowing down at the corners, and that was a very important thing, but more important still, in my opinion, was the fact that there was not anything like so cnuch jay-walking across Heretaunga street as there used to be." Other people endorsed these views and pointed out that at the present time there was much confusion caused. It required only a few minutes to reveal the truth of this, for during a shorfc period of observation of traffic at one intersection it was made clear that both tho inotoring public and tho pedestrian traffic were uncertain as to who had the right of way. It was obvious that quite a substantial percentage of the people were prepared to avail themselves of. the advantages of the safety zones, but there was an uncertainty in their movements across the street that denoted a confused state of mind as to what the motorist intended to do. Tho viewpoint of the motorist was similar, with the result that there was unnecessaty acreeching of brakes and scampering of pedestrians*