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Story: Street life

Directing traffic

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Directing traffic

The increase in motor vehicles and a rise in traffic speeds led councils to confine pedestrians to footpaths. Policemen such as this one (centre) were assigned to points duty at busy intersections, to direct motorised and foot traffic. During the 1920s crossings were introduced to encourage pedestrians to cross streets at particular points. This is the intersection of Wellington’s Cuba and Manners streets, about 1920.

Using this item

Auckland Council Libraries − Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Reference: 35-R1763

by Frederick George Radcliffe

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Ben Schrader, Street life – Pedestrians give way to cars, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/20677/directing-traffic (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Ben Schrader, published 4 March 2010.