“DOUBLE-DECK” ROADS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 12652, 12 January 1927, Page 10

“DOUBLE-DECK” ROADS

LONDON OF THE FUTURE STARTLING* proposals. A stretch of park land, girdling all London, and serving as recreation ground; widened roads and new bridges in lie centre of the city; "ring” roads round the busiest quarters of central I/ondon to facilitate traffic, and twosiory streets, the lower road being used by trains and trains. Such are some of tlie changes foreshadowed by Mr G. lophain Forrest in a lecture to the Lon<lou Society. Chicago has already adopted "doubledeck’ streets for its busiest quarters* and the growing need for similar measures to cope with increasing traffic on our streets is shown by Mr Forrest, who estimates the financial loss due to traffic congestion at something like .£IOO,000,000 per annum. Widening of tlie present roads, accordjpg to Mr Forrest, will only prove a palliative for the present congestion, and new roads are urgently needed in the near future. Some of his startling proposals are The of an arterial road from tlie Queen Victoria Memorial straight into Victoria street. The creation of a great "Place” in front of V ictoria station; The conversion of Charing Cross bridge into a structure carrying both road and rails. A new embankment on the south side, from County Hall to Jllackfriars Bridge, and a now roadway leading direct from Waterloo Bridge to the British Museum, suggest sweeping away many of London’s present landmarks. "I ran foresee the day,” said Mr Forrest. when underneath the principal roads in the central area will be trains or trams. These will provide the normal method of travelling from one part of the centre to another, and for reaching the outer ring roads. Around this great central area will be a series of bus and tram services, from which the bulk of tho working population will trave to and from their homes in the suburbs.

'The cost of the construction of thesf tunnel will be enormous, but London; will have to meet it. When London has met. it, it will be found that the expenditure was well worth while.”