HIGHWAYS PROBLEMS

Evening Star, Issue 20033, 26 November 1928, Page 1

HIGHWAYS PROBLEMS

CiOSBISfiKtSS OF Tile FUTURE British cars taxed or. hur.w-poiUT in 1927 were 572,-i-il, in 1928 665,661 . cycles in 1927 356,919, in 1928 386,278; goods vehicles in 1927 258,636, in 1928 280.189; road locomotives and tractors in 1927, 2,959, in 1928 2,350; trauicars in 1927 13,986, in 1928 13,988 The total number of licenses issued were in -1927, 1,321,636, in 1928 1.103,-152. The receipts lor the quarter ended February were in 1927 1:11,171,992 and in 192-8 £15,343,439. AA’hat were known as pleasure motor cars showed an increase of 16.3 per cent. —Sir Henri Alaybury, British Direeior-General el Road-, in an address to municipal and county engineers

“It is well, 1 think, Dial. Wo should ask ourselves wliai we are doing to meet this ever-increasing use ot the highways wc arc privileged Ui supervise and managed’ added S:r Henry Alaybury (reports ' Alodern 'l'r.msport’). “ Are wc making progress on right lines? Do wo pause i.o impiire whether wo aro likely to secure for our employers the best value from the touiL datious and sm'fuee.s we arc pulling down ?

■“ Are wc spending, enough lime, skill, and money upon research in order tluu wo shall be possessed of more scientific and practical knowledge of values? 1. suggest that in no field of physical or economic research aro the problems which aro presented to us more fascinating, more diverse, and more Jarreaching in their influence than are those of Highway transportation. The subjects to which the student might very well address himself immediately comprise methods host adapted to secure the safetv of travel; foundation and surface stresses; the effect of speed ami impact upon surfaces and bridges; the factor of safety we should aim at in order satisfactorily to provide for the heaviest unit of weight travelling nt n known speed; the question of sight lines, of road signalling, and of traffic Control. The.W' are all of immense, importance to lie safely ol the community.

"The Aiinislry of Traiispori has encouraged the laying of experimental sections, and lias placed the bestknown equipment at the National Physical Laboratory at the disposal of the highway engineers of Hie country. Tho past year has been no exception in the matter of procedure. "Under the- auspices of tho Minister 127 sections of different materials and under dillereiit conditions have been laid upon arterial madia various parts of i lie country. " In every case the cost per super yard is recorded, as is also the weight of tho traffic these sections have io support, and 1 am glad to say that the Aiinislry of Transport is advancing to even more important and informative experimental work. AA’ithia the next year I hope wo shall have a comprehensive experimental station in operation under the charge of skilled experts, whose business it will he to make very careful records, and Io examin" critically and seientilicfdiy the. relative values of materials, ivilli a known cILm-i, of traffic at various speeds upon them. "There is a vast field open to (he young highway engineers of this country in the secniili ■■ aial rcscaieh .sides of the problem of hi;. I ,hr ay engineering, and I am eliarnd hv the Alinislir of "Transport ui say that wo will welcome all inquiries relative to our experiinc.iil-, will encourage visits ul inspection Imm engineers, ami, when the new experimental station i-. (.quipped and opened, will invito every practising engineer in tho country to let as have his ideas and (suggestions so that those responsible for tlio actual research uorlJ may bo kept up to concert pitch with the day-to-day requirements, which must oi necessity come To tho notice of the practising highway engineer. " First and foremost, there is im problem in connect ion with highway transportation of greater importance than that of doing all wo possibly can to safeguard tho lives and limbs of those who use our highways. “ I would agiin ask all engineers and surveyors to pay special attention to road surfaces in an endeavour to make those as saf- and inm-Mippcry as possible under all aimospliorio conditions. Once more I appeal to all to give more attention to footpaths. Tho pedestrian lias as much right to a smooth surface as tlio molori.-f, ami the Alinistcr attaches immense importance to Hie provision of adequate and well-made footpaths. ‘‘The highway engineer.- of this country have great responsibilities, as upon their ability and efficiency the safety ui travel largely depend:-. Upon them, ton, lies the duty of seeing that good value is obtained for moneys expended. But they have more than this: they aro charged with the supervision and maintenance of a magnificent system of highways which are capable of immense improvement, and winch as traffic increases (as it inevitably will) must lie enlarged. ,«tmiglhoned, and made safer. ], want, all to realise as -never before tho importance io the public of the duties with which yon arc entrusted. AA’o have to-day immense opportunities. Let us take, full advantage of those, so that as a revolt of our united endeavours it may he well said that we have succeeded in making the highway,s and bridges of the country strong, safe, straight, and datable.”