1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154 
Road Transport a War Munition
Page 69
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE Government is preparing a programme of rearmament, but in the published details of this no mention has been made of the vital importance of improving the lines of communication, not only in this country, but in Britain Overseas.
In these days of rapid transit by which the time factor in the movement of considerable bodies of troops, both by air and otherwise, has been so greatly reduced, efficient transport may well prove 'of vital =significance. Perhaps this is one reason why, at last, some small degree of enthusiasm has been displayed in connection with the improvement of our national highways, but, in our opinion, much more should be done in this direction.
We cannot believe that our military authorities are so blind as not to recognize the vulnerability of railways as compared with the greater safety and versatility of road transport.
The German Government fully appreciates this, and its marvellous system of new roads, fully capable of, and actually designed for, bearing large vehicles constructed to operate at speeds approaching 100 m.p.h., whilst being undoubtedly beneficial to both private and commercial motor users, must also be considered as of military significance.
Excessive restrictions on road transport constitute a danger to the whole community, and will, if continued, arouse—perhaps too late—bitter comment against those who fail to realize not only the economic value of this form of transport, but the position it occupies as an asset in the defence of our far-flung interests.
It has also been stated that every encouragement is to be given to the development of agriculture, with a view to rendering the nation less dependent upon food supplies from abroad. Any intensification of food production will necessitate a considerable increase in transport facilities, which would be of even greater importance in time of war and particularly during any period when the requirements of our armies abroad might denude the country of a considerable number of its road vehicles. Here, therefore, is an opportunity to build up road services capable of dealing with any exigency which may occur.