Thames Star. THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1923. ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15886, 26 July 1923, Page 4

Thames Star.

THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1923. ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT.

“With malice towards none, with charity lor all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.”— .Lincoln.

The growing l competitipn of motor transport is one of the bugbears of railway and tramway authorities in the Dominion. Already the railways find that their business is being cut into. Gram and wool, which used itp be transported from the country to/;the cities and towns by the railways, are being brought in by motor carriage in ever increasing quantities. The possibility of motor-’bus competition with, the tramway services is always present, and if the [roads in the suburbs would stand the traffic there would soon be rival ■claimants for the patronage of passengers. ..

. The .situation in Britain is more ■advanced. The railways had driven most of the vehicular traffic off the [main roads, but the motor is now proving a .serious rival to the railway,; and is bringing the roads of [England into use once more. Charabancs .and motor coaches, each cap-able-of carrying from 20 to 40 passengers, have come into the highway ■in ever increasing numbers. They have proved rivals to the railways gin regard to passenger traffic, but that rivalry is confined to the sum- ; mer months when the railways also ; do capacity business. The railway companies, however, are seriously disturbed by the rival|'ry in goods traffic which the motor lorry has instituted. This competi - tion goes on all the year round. For long journeys and for heavy goods ■' the railway is superior, but for short distances and lighter loads the motor | lorry outclasses the railway Several of f he railway corrmnnies have 7 P ndeovoiv , "'d to obtain from Parliament an amendment of their ohar-

ters permitting them to run motor lorry services, but so far they have been refused this privilege, on the, grounds that the public would lose all benefits from the competition between the two forms of transport.

The great development of motor traffic will necessitate considerable improvement in the roads of England. The roadway system dates back- to medieval times, perhaps further, and it does not* meet the requirements of the motor’. A syndicate has been formed which proposes to undertake the colossal task of constructing motor highways in England, and as a first step it proposes to build an entirely new highway from London to Liverpool, a distance of 200 miles, at a cost of £15,000,000. The syndicate will submit .its proposals to Parliament during the autumn, and if sanction is given the road will be commenced next year. If it is carried through the road will he a formidable comnetitor with the railways, and the fight will oe on.