Story: Street life

Directing traffic

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 City Libraries - Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero, Sir George Grey Special Collections
Reference: 35-R1763
Photograph by Frederick George Radcliffe

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

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Ben Schrader, 'Street life - Pedestrians give way to cars', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/20677/directing-traffic (accessed 21 April 2024)

Story by Ben Schrader, published 11 Mar 2010