The Road Gang

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Once, there wafted the stink of the horse and its exhaust to avoid stepping on when crossing the street. Then came the noisy motor vehicle and its pervasive carbon monoxide and tyre particulates to poison the lung and pollute the environment. 

This third and final volume of New Zealand’s transport history describes how some of the first coach and bicycle builders and importers hesitantly transitioned to the new motor vehicle first viewed as a novelty that wouldn’t last.

But the motor vehicle did last –– encouraged by a Road Gang of assemblers, importers and dealers, parts and tyre manufacturers, oil explorers, and road builders who sought to make their fortunes as they eagerly met the needs of a motoring public conditioned by market forces and transport necessity to buy their goods and services.

These are their stories, as well as those of the supreme leaders of the ‘Road Gang’ –– New Zealand’s Governments and Local Bodies –– all too ready to profit from the motor vehicle gravy train while also mandating transport-related decisions that favoured the motor vehicle as the prime mover.