GOVERNMENT'S ROAD PLANS
Page 32
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NEXT year the Government proposes to invite tenders for preliminary work on the Severn Bridge. The Maidenhead and Slough by-passes, totalling 11 miles long, will eventually form part of the route from London to South Wales, across the Severn Bridge, and pre-war plans for the provision of trunk roads from London to South Wales are being re-cast.
The Ministry of Transport is making a 75 per cent, grant towards the cost of constructing the Jarrow Tunnel, connecting Durham and Northumberland.
On behalf of the joint committee of Kent and Essex County Councils, the Minister of Transport intends, next ■ year, to invite tenders for the construction of the main tunnel from Dartford ;to Purfleet, under the Thames. The pilot tunnel was constructed before the war.
Apart from these works, the Ministry of Transport is carrying out preliminary surveys to determine the future lines of principal trunk roads. Detailed location surveys for some 300 miles of road are now being made. The dazzle problem will receive consideration in building the new roads.
At a later stage in the 10-year plan. it is proposed to build a number of motor roads linking some of the main centres of population. During the next two years the Minister is giving priority to the improvement of roads at points which accident records have revealed as being " black spots."
NEW DESIGN FOR STEAMER
ANEW design for a steam wagon is mentioned in a report issued by the Joint Investigations Committee, which was set up by the Coal Utilisation Joint Council and the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation. It generates superheated steam at 1,400-1,700 lb. per sq. in. in a flash boiler, and the steam is used in a triple-expansion high-speed condensing engine. A prototype (Doble unit) was built in this country before the war.
Further research is necessary, states the Joint Investigations Committee, but a great deal of basic information and experience already exists.
It is believed that if a steamer could be designed to compete in the 2-3-ton unladen-weight class, there would be .a swing away from oiland petrol-engined vehicles.
The report also deals with the possibility of using the gas turbine and the battery electric for road haulage.
WAGES CLAIM UPHELD
AFTER a hearing in London, the National Arbitration Tribunal has upheld a claim by Barnsley Corporation's commercial-vehicle drivers that their wages should not be reduced below £5 4s. per week. The drivers work on vehicles of 2 tons and upwards.
GIRLING BRAKES ON VIXEN D EFERRING to the road test report 1N.of the Guy Vixen 4-tonner, published in our issue for last week, we have been asked to point out that the brakes are of the Girling, two-leading-shoe type, operated on the Lockheed system.