LEVEL CROSSINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1929, Page 3

LEVEL CROSSINGS

HIGHWAYS BOARD’S VIEWS.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 17

The policy of the Main Highways Board in regard to ' the elimination and improvement of the railway level crossings •' is set out in the Board's annual report, which shows that eight eliminations were completed during the year under review.

With regard to the problem of the level ■crossing .generally, tiie Board has, during the past year, exchanged views with the Railway Department. Both authorities are prepared to continue to make reasonable sums available for elimination and improvement of level crossings, hut the cost of elimination is so great that only a very few crossings can be dealt with annually.

“It is agreed.” says the ‘ report, “that it would be advisable to consider the question of diverting a substantial proportion of the capital expenditure towards the carrying out of imiTovements to visibility and the installation of automatic warning devices at a large number of railway crossings. Such a change in policy during the next year or two would confer much greater immediate benefit unoii road-users than by devoting the whole of the' available funds to o’imination work.

“Therq are a, great number of crossings’ (throughout the . country where the expenditure of : a- moderate sum could he, devoted to the removal, of obstructions on 'vajlway . property, on 'the roadway,: and on private land,, resulting in greatly--improved visibilitv and a oroportionate reduction in danger to the road-user.” • , The attitude of the Main Highway* Board towards those suggestions as far as main highways,are concerned is summarised as follows: .

(1) Where it is necessary. for the improvement of the view at a crossing to remove obstructions on railway property, the Board is unable to make any contribution. (2) Where it is necessary to remove any obstruction on the roadway for the purpose of obtaining an improve merit to visibility, the Board will, in conjunction with the local authorities, provide the necessary cost. • (3) In cases where it is necessary to take private land for the purpose of carrying out improvements to visibility, the Board is prepared to bear half the cost with the Railway Department. The 'Board will negotiate, with the local bodies in rfesnect to any. contribution which it thinks should he made by thorn.

(i) 'The, Board if? prepared to bear; 59 per cent of the cost of installation of automatic warning devices and 50 pet cent of the annual cost of maintenance of same.

It. 's also considered necessary by both the Railway Department and tic Main Highways Board thtft there should be power to enter upon nriva.te * property for the purpose of removingobstructions adjacent to level crossings without going to ttV extent of taking land, but at the present time there is no cnaliling. statutory an- i tlioritv.