COACH SERVICES ON SPECIAL MOTOR ROADS.
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Attractive Saloon Vehicles which are Used to Maintain Communications on Some of the Private Roads in Italy.
AS many of our readers may be aware, Italy now possesses a set of private motor roads which, in some respects, are of unique construction.• Starting from Milan, the main road, which has been opened to traffic for about a year, runs to Varese, a distance of about 45 miles, and two branches from this main route terminate at Arona and Como respectively, thus
affording direct motor communication between the capital of Lombardy and the rich and picturesque Italian lake district. Plans have already been formulated for the construction of another private motor road from Milan to Lake Garda.
The Italian motor roads are open to subscribers on payment of an annual fee, but they can also be used by any motor vehicle owner who wishes to pay only for the journey to be undertaken. In addition, a number of high-class Motor coach services are maintained on these roads, the vehicles which are used being of a type shown in an illustration on this page. They consist of special Fiat chassis, in which sixcylinder engines are employed, and the bodies with which they are fitted are of extremely attractive design. The coaches are fitted with pneumatic tyres, twins being used on the rear, and high average speeds are maintained. The coaches undertake daily journeys at regular intervals from Milan to the various teiminal points of the roads in the lake district. They are largely patronized by tourists and others, who are afforded facilities for reaching some of the most beautiful areas of Northern Italy under conditions of travel which are far more pleasing than those offered by the railway.
The Italian motor roads, which were constructed by private initiative, assisted by the Government, have rt, width of not less than 32 ft., and are not intersected at any point throughout their length by other roads or by rail
ways. The engineering difficulties which were encountered at certain parts were most formidable, and some idea of the problems which had to be considered can be gathered from the fact that at one point it was necessary to construct a tunnel 230 ft. long below a private residence. It was necessary, in other instances, either to carry the roads under or above the various obstacles which were met.
Bus Progress In Cornwall.
An amazing increase of motorbus traffic in Cornwall was disclosed at the second annual staff dinner of the Cornwall Motor Transport Co., over which the traffic manager, Mr. H. Stewart (Truro), presided. In proposing the toast of " Our Directors," Mr. Stewart said they were the embodiment of all that was progressive, and did all they possibly could to blend the commercial and social sides of the concern.
The managing director, Lt.-Commander F. T. Hare, in responding, stated that at the last dinner he was able to report that they carried 700,000 passengers during the year, and he expressed the hope that they would carry 1.000,000 in 1924. They had done that, their total for the year. being 1,435,000. He hoped that 1925 would give them a total of 2,000,000 passengers carried. He congratulated the drivers and maintenance staff of the company on having carried that large number of passen gers without a single accident. Two outstanding features of the work of the Cornwall Motor Transport Co. during 1925. he said, had been the successful termination of the competition with the Great Western Railway and the progress of the social and welfare side.