ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT

Evening Star, Issue 20371, 31 December 1929, Page 1

ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT

THE POSITION IN BRITAIN The competition of motor passenger transport with railways in Britain is being solved without State intervention. A recent article in 1 The Times ’ states that tho railway companies have acouired a large share in the passenger road transport of tho country, and are engaged upon negotiations which, if successful, will enlarge considerably their holdings. They are already interested financially in passenger road transport concerns with a combined capital of nearly £10,000,000 and controlling some 8,000 vehicles, and much lime is being devoted to the consecration of the changes necessary to secure co-ordina-tion of their road and rail interests in the best interests of both. The main aims of the companies are to make road transport provide more feeder services to the railways, to transfer to the motor omnibus passenger traffic unremunerative to the railways, and to open to the public by a combination of road and rail transport districts which have not been accessible to ordinary tourists. One of the early results expected from the scheme is the closing of branch lines and small stations on the main railway system which are now unremunerative. There are many sections of the railways, mainly in country districts, on which train services arc run for which there is no financial justification. Interavailability of tickets is also to be introduced in connection with the development of long-distance sources. Holiday-makers, for example, may travel by road to the seaside and return by rail, or, if touring the country, may be able to pass through the least interesting part of their journey by exprass {rain, transferring to the road vehicle for a tour through beautiful scenery and returning to tho railway later for tec completion of their journey.