Administration of the Road Fund
Page 47
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THE annual report on the adminis
tration of the Road Fund for the year ended Malich 31, 1935, issued by the Ministry of Transport on Monday, indicates various ways. in which highway authorities are co-operating With the Ministry to increase the safety and convenience of road users. During the financial year 1934-35, more than 1,800 miles of new footpaths were constructed on the roads of Great Britain, whilst approximately • /2,400 " Majot Road Ahead" signs were erected, and nearly 500 road junctions equipped with traffic light signals. The need for adequate banking on. road beads has also been realized, and the number on which super-elevation has been, provided is well over 6,000.
The report covers a period in which certain experiments and new developments were tried out, these including the provision of pedestrian, crossings. pedestrian barriers, cycle tracks, the initiation of a highway development survey for Greater London, and a fiveyear road plan for the whole country.
Many accidents in which road conditions were alleged to be involved were investigated, and the results are now disclosed for the first time. T..lp to the end of the financial year covered by the report, 837 cases had been dealt with. Slippery road surfaces and worn setts, etc., were alleged to be contributory causes of accidents in 425 cases. Much progress has been made with the building of by-pass roads, the total length of which now exceeds 505 miles. In all, 62 bridges over railways and 50 over canals were reconstructed, Widened or strengthened during the year under review, whilst 57 new bridges were built on new roads or by-passes.
Work on the Greater London highway development survey was begun in March, and numerous local authorities, town planners and traffic experts have already tendered information which will facilitate the execution of the sur
vey, which is based on the probable traffic requirements of the next 20 or 30 years. It is being carried out by Sir Charles 13ressey, formerly chief engineer of the Ministry, in consultation with Sir Edwin Lutyens, R.A. '
The gross receipts from the taxation of road vehicles in Great Britain, including fees for driving licences, etc:, in the calendar year 1934 amounted to £32,588,000, the net receipts being £31,473,000. Licences were issued for' approximately 2,395,300 mechanically propelled vehicles. During the financial year 1934-1935, the net proceeds of motor-licence duties paid into the Exchequer amounted to £31,538,000, of which R5,100,000 was retained in the Exchequer, the balance being paid into the Road Fund. The total receipts of the Road Fund, including fees under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, and from other sources, amounted to 26,975,305.