SAFETY MEASURES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21246, 17 October 1940, Page 9

SAFETY MEASURES

DANGEROUS CROSSINGS

REPORT TO COUNCIL SEDDON ROAD WARNING Suggested improvements to the Commerce Street and Seddon Road railway crossings came before the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last night when a report was received from the chief traffic inspector, Mr W. E. Nicholson. The suggestions, stated the inspector, were the result of an inspection of the crossings and were in the interests of safety. “At the Commerce Street crossing,” said the report, there are nine sets of rails, seven of which are close together. The crossingkeeper has a shelter shed at one side, and on the approach of a train walks about five or six feet out on the roadway and holds up a dirty ‘stop’ sign. Motorists, unless looking directly at him, do not notice him and the result* are confusion of the driver and considerable danger. The cross-arm of the sign, as well as being dirty, is too high from the road surface to gel the maximum effect from car lights. In addition, treie are two entrances to the rail way yards, one leading off eacn s re of the crossing.” Another Sign Wanted The inspector suggested that the sigh used by the keeper should be altered by having, two feet from the bottom, a “stop” sign similar to that at the top. The sign should be repainted and the keeper made to go to the centre of the roadway. The two entrances to the yards should be off High Street instead of off Commerce Street. Referring to the Seddon Road crossing the inspector said the warning signal recently placed there was not worth anything like £3OO, which was the Railways Department’s estimate of the cost, half of which was to be paid by the council. One signal was not visible at all when approached from the north. If “wigwags” were added to the present bells and the post shifted a few feet the apparatus would be more effective. The report was referred to the district railways engineer.