Great Plans for Tourist Tra ffic T HERE is little doubt that
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very many people, possibly millions, will wish to visit the British Isles as soon as possible after the conclusion of hostilities, in order to ascertain for themselves the effects of the war upon this country. They • will want to see what our cities and towns have had to withstand in the way of aerial bombardment, and those who have not visited Britain before will be anxious to find out just what we and our country are like—that country which stood for many months alone as the sole remaining 'bulwark against, Nazi aggression and separated from it by only a few miles of weer.
Plans are. already -being made to stimulate this wish abroad and to prepare for this peaceful invasion at home, for it is estimated that, eventually, hundreds of millions of pounds will be brought to our shores for expending here. • Part 9f the scheme is greatly to improve our seaside resorts and. other placed of. historical interest and scenic beauty, to arrange for better accommodation and improved catering ; but, so far as we have seen from the notices already published, nothing has been said as to the vital importance of adequate and comfortable transport, hot only to and from such places, but in respect of trips radiating from them.
Here is where our road passenger transport people and those concerned with touring 12y coach should get busy and begin to formulate their plans Highways Will Influence Prosperity All this also points directly to the urgent need for instituting, at the earliest moment, all possible improv,ements to our roads, for the sooner these be put into ship-shape condition, the better shall we be able-to cater for this, estimated, huge influx. It may be said with truth that our highways will prove to be the key which will unlock the door to at least a reasonable amount of prosperity to millions of our people, but the roads must be designed and built with a full comprehension not only of immediate • requirements, but of those during the next few decades. We must not have something resembling a patchwork quilt, but real arterial highways confined to comparatively highspeed traffic, protected from the ingress of irre sponsible pedestrians, local traffic, and cattle, roads which will be safe for the motorist and for the pnbliein general— especially the children.
Obviously, their construction will be a task occupying some years, so that the sooner it be commenced the better. Motoring of all kinds in the post-war Years will probably be on a greatly incfeased scale, consequently the authorities conterned must not allow themselves to be taken by surprise, and then be in a position to give only feeble excuses for their lack of foresight. Men and women in their millions, when released from the Forces and war factories, will be requiring work, and we do mot want to envisage conditions such as those which existed during the early years following the war of 1914-18. For a time there will, no dobbt, be a Considerable amount of clearing-up to be done. There are immense housing projects which will stimulate employment in many directions, there axe ideas of decentraliza.tion to avoid masses of people being confined within comparatively small and congested areas. These, again, will require improved means for communication for people, materials and goods.
Road Services Must Cover Country The railways cannot hope to cope with all this, and they are not adequately fitted to do so, for huge tracts of country lie between the areas immediately covered by them, and for these road transport in full measure must be provided.. It must be safe traffic, otherwise there will be a great • outcry against the " toll of the road," a toll which should not be considered as a necessary evil, as has been the case for so long. A dangerous highway should be regarded as a discredit, not upon the people using it, but upon those who have designed and constructed it—they should be considered as the real culprits.
Speed in itself is not a great danger, in fact, it can be hardly' dangerous at all, as is shown by figures which go to prove that the majority of fatal accidents occurs %under conditions when the speed of the vehicles concerned is comparatively low. It is a foolish freedom which permits all and sundry, including the smallest children, to wander about our highways.