TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16823, 23 August 1920, Page 10

TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

PLATEWAYS FOR ROADS. Tn a recent address to tho British Science GuiTcl I.ord Montagu of Beaulieu, said that the comparative cheapness of short-distance road-borne traffic compared with similar rail-borne traffic had already deprived tho railways of much revenue. But, before long, roads made in the ordinary way would not be able to bear the increased continuous heavy mechanical transport. The time had arrived whence should consider whether special roads for- mechanical road traffic from which all other traffic should he excluded, should not be provided. There was no reason, as that distinguished engineer, Sir Frederick Bramwcll, said many years a&o, why a road should not be constructed of a material widen had'practically tho same absence of friction as, a'rail. If so road transport should require about tiie same power as rail transport. Just before railways began to be made what were called plateways were much in vogue in the North. These wore tracks, about 2ft. wide for wheels only, made of steel plates over which tho wheels only, made of steel plates over which the steel tires of carts conveying coal or other minerals passed, tho resistance being, of course, hardly more than existed in the case of tho steel wheel on a steel rail. It would he quite feasible to lay down such a plateway between London and Birmingham, for instance, perhaps partly in metal- and partly in concrete or in some other durable material which would reduce tho tractive force per ton on tho road to, say, about 201 b. per ton. The cost of a double track would be approximately that of a single line of railway, as it would be possible to use gradients up to 1 in 30. and hardly any buildings would bo needed en route. Tho cost of operation also would be on a much smaller scale than on a railway, as there would bo a very small permanent staff, no signals or stations, and few largo bridges or viaducts. From the point of view of the producer and consumer, ' goods could be delivered from door to door without any intermediate handling, which was now a very expensive item in railway transport. If wo extended this idea to big towns, to London for instance, it was conceivable that overhead roadways might he made from the suburbs for the exclusive use of fast-running road mechanical vehicles, which would descend by means of lifts or connecting roads to the level of the streets at certain points. There might be alighting places and passenger lifts provided at the crossing of other streets, much in tho same way as the overhead railway system in New York. A much higher average rate of speed could then be maintained by tho road vehicles than, at present. Ho saw no reason why overhead road traffic should not exceed the speeds of the ordinary suburban train services.