NEW TRAFFIC OUTLET

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 742, 15 August 1929, Page 9

NEW TRAFFIC OUTLET

CAUTIOUS COMMENT ON PARNELL SCHEME RAILWAY DEPT. ATTITUDE

“We certainly need relief for both Broadway (Newmarket) and the Road end of Grafton Bridge. This scheme would tjive it, whereas the scheme put forward by the TownPlanning Association would not help Grafton Bridge.” THAT was one of the statements made this morning to a Sun reporter who sought opinions on the proposal of Mr. A. L. Ferneyhougli, an Auckland architect, to provide southern and eastern traffic outlets along the line of the existing railway from the City to Newmarket. On the whole, however, me comment on Mr. Ferneyhough’s plan, published on Tuesday, was accompanied by the reservation that further data and greater detail should be forthcoming before the question is discussed. Railway officials are unwilling to issue any definite expression of opinion, but they indicate that they do not view the proposal with favour on the grounds of both financial and engineering difficulties. DIRECT ROUTE The route suggested by Mr. Ferneyhough begins at Breakwater Road and follows the existing railway parallel with Beach Road until it continues on the railway line to cross Parnell Rise by an overhead bridge. At this point is suggested the existing double railway track and tunnel should be converted into a concrete road, and the railway traffic, reduced by the opening of the Westfield deviation, confined to the old singletrack Parnell tunnel. From the tunnel exit, the route would be through the Newmarket railway yards, similar to the Town-Planning Association’s scheme, but differing in the line taken from the end of the Newmarket yards to reach the Great South Road. Mr. R. Hill, secretary of the Auckland Town-Planning Association, whose special committee submitted some days ago a full scheme, the preparation of which involved six months’ work, was unwilling to discuss Mr. Ferneyhough’s proposal in detail. SCHEMES WELCOMED “However, I should like to make it clear that the association welcomes all schemes and will consider them carefully,” he said. - ' “We have no intention of favouring any particular scheme. We want to find the best possible solution of the City's traffic outlet problem.” An official of the Railway Department said that there would be considerable rail traffic for the present line through Parnell to Newmarket despite the new waterfront line and the possibility of the Mormngside tunnel route. In any case the Morniugside proposal would not be put in operation for some considerable time and, until then, the double-track tunnel certainly would be needed. The old single-track tunnel was not at all suitable, he continued. It was becoming in a state of disrepair, I and it was smoky and inconvenient for passengers. “Such a proposal as that made by Mr. Ferneyhough would require very careful consideration,” he said. “So far it has been put forward in quite a nebulous way. It must be remembered that at Newmarket there are established businesses, dependent on railway support and facilities. Moreover, there are serious questions of costs. Nothing has been said about the.cost of the bridge at Parnell Rise or the capital cost of the railway’s embankment which would have to he considered in the event of the city’s taking over that necessary land. “Furthermore, there is tlie question of the suitability of the double-rail tunnel as a traffic tunnel. Without I going into exact measurements, it is j safe to say that the tunnel would i leave very little margin of width for two-way traffic.” An official of an Auckland motor transport company said that the attractive feature of the scheme was the reduction of road grades from the City to Newmarket. This would allow of speedy, economical transport to and from the City. Mr. Ferneyhough’s scheme, he added, was the only one that provided relief for the Grafton Bridge-Symonds Street intersection, a spot at which congestion was becoming serious.

Dr. E. P. Neale, secretary of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, considered that the scheme was a good one and worthy of consideration. On the other hand he did not think that the Railway Department would be wise in agreeing to go back to the old single tunneL "But one would be sorry to see the proposal dropped on that account,” he said.