RESTRICTION IS LIKELY

Southland Times, Issue 24242, 27 September 1940, Page 6

RESTRICTION IS LIKELY

SHEEP LORRIES USING MAIN STREETS COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY CITY COUNCIL

An indication that in the near future lorries used for transporting sheep ana lambs would not be permitted to use Dee and Clyde streets between Bainfield road and Biggar street was given by the No. 4 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr S. V. Raines) at a sitting in Invercargill yesterday. Representations were made at the sitting on behalf of the Invercargill City Council by the traffic inspector, Mr E. Stopford.

Mr Raines said that he would frame a suitable clause at the end of the sitting. The restrictions would be enforced quite reasonably, he added, provided the operators were reasonable. The question of sheep floats travelling in the main arterial streets had been discussed by the council on several occasions as the result of complaints, explained Mr Stopford. It was realized th-* the carriage of sheep and lambs to the freezing works by motor transport, although seasonal, had become an important undertaking and the council was anxious not to impede or unduly retard such enterprise. However, as a controlling authority it had to give consideration to all forms of transport using the roads and also to pedestrians. When persistent complaints were received the council was bound to take notice.

“The council is convinced that these complaints are justified and feels that, in the interest of the public, motor transports carrying stock to the freezing works between 8 a.m. and midnight should use other than the main thoroughfares,” said Mr Stopford. “The council was reluctant to take drastic steps, such as making a by-law, and it was hoped at one time that, with the co-operation of the operators, the difficulty might be overcome. However, the attitude adopted by some of the operators caused the failure of the scheme.”

The rapid increase in the carriage of stock by motor transport had developed a vehicle which, although of no greater tonnage than an ordinary goods lorry, was more cumbersome and unwieldy because of the nature and design of the stock pens, Mr Stopford continued. The pens were of a maximum width of eight feet and were carried fairly high to allow for double decks. Recently some vehicles had had trailers attached, making an over-all length of from 42 to 44 feet.

This nuisance was a very definite one and had already been the subject of complaints, said the city health inspector, Mr R. Bleakley.

The safe road was the road on which the trams travelled—people were expecting traffic and exercised more care, said Mr G. E. T. Dorman, representing the Southland District Motor Transport .ssociation. Elies road was a dangerous route, especially at the Yarrow street intersection. A deviation from Dee street to Elies road would increase the costs to the farmer.

When Mr Raines indicated that he would include a restricting clause in the licences, Mr Dorman pointed out that special provision would have to be made for the carriage of stock to the show grounds.