ARE RAIL AND ROAD INTERDEPENDENT?
Page 9
Page 10
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Possibilities of Co-operation Between, the Two Forms of Transport in Young Countries.
By "Wanderer."
IHAVE recently had an opportunity of studying the very interesting reports of the last three years compiled by Sir William Hoy, the general manager of the South African railways and -harbours. I shall hope, in a subsequent article, to be allowed to quote from these reports in order to show the great importance which the railway administration in South Africa attaches, to the assistance of mechanical road transport and the considerable degree of success that has already been attained. For the moment, however, it is my purpose to deal with what is apparently a sornewhatscontroversial point.
' We are told that in South Africa many farmers located 20 miles or more from the railway .are entirely prevented, from producing grain and similar products by the prohibitive cost of transport to the railhead. The trouble is; of course, that the roads are soft and unmade and, in certain seasons of the year, degenerate into quagmires. Mechanical transport, if possible at all under such conditions, is Bo isistly that it cannot be regarded as a.commerciaI solution of the problem. Transport in animal-drawn carts entails the use of very large teams of oxen, as many as 16 often being required to deal with a four ton load. Moreover, as it happens, this transport work means depriving they farms of the services of the animals just when they are most needed.
Roads Allowed to Fall into-Decay.
I note that in.a paper read a few years ago by a well-known engineer in South Africa it is mentioned that many of the.earlier constructed highways were subsequently superseded by the railways, with the result that, in time, the road traffic became very light, substantial expenditure on road repairs -could not be justified, and the quality of thOroads was allowed to deteriorate. This seems to be an instance of road and rail not working in conjunction but in direct competition, under conditions all in favour of the one as against the other. Sir William Hoy has consistently urged the necessity for improved road communication as an aid to development, but, as roads do not fall within the scope of the railway administration, he is notsin a position to act upon
his beliefs. • In this connection he calls attention to the views of the general manager of the Nigerian Railways, who advocates not only an extension of the railway system but the construction of a system of feeder roads extending over distances of from 50 to 75 miles. He also quotes areport emanating from Great Britain as follows :—" It seems obvious that road transport must be regarded' as an integral and effective portion of the whole transport organization of the country, and not as an isolated enterprise. The special sphere of road transport will be in local distribution and as a feeder accessory to trunk systems." Yet again, he quotes from another authority as follows :—" Railway transport is the trunk of any general transport scheme, and all new development must be looked upon as its branches."
In summing up conclusions reached in a bulletin on "Transport Methods ,irt South Africa," he expresses the view that narrow gauge railways or light standard gauge railways of the types at present in use are too expensive to solve effectively the local problem. At the same time, he advocates a Govern. ment inquiry into the road question and, incidentally,
into the regulations limiting the free use of the roads by motor vehicles. On the other hind, in the course of his report of 1920, references appear to the conclusions of the committee appointed in 1915 to report on transport 1acilities for the promotion of agriculture and other rural industries in the sparsely populated areas of Scotland. It is Suggested that the policy outlined by that committee is in accord with that required by South Africa. 'This policy, amongst other things, would involve the-Construction of light railways of ordinary gauge alongside existing roads, where possible, and with halts or sidings provided.
Parallel Rail and Road Routes Not Efficient.
Now it is with these words " alnng-side existing roads." that the presentwriter wishes to quarrel. One can. see readily enough the advantage of so 'arranging the whole system that the light railway and the .road will cut one another at sufficiently numerous points where halts will be provided. If, however, the railway runs alongside the road during the greater part of its length, we must surely tend to get the effect already mentioned .as having been noticeable in South Africa; namely, traffic will be taken off the road on to a directly competitive rail, way system and the road will no longer be of stifft, cient use to justify adequate -expenditure to main
tain it in really.serviceablecondition. In other words, an existing asset would be endangered in order to facilitate the creation of a new alternative asset. The two would not be complementary; but would be opposed to one another. This brings me to the suggestion that, except in very spacial cases, where a road or railway exists and the other is to be constructed, the two shotild not be placed parallel and adjacent, but the second should be deliberately diverted so that, in conjunction with the first, a larger area would be served and 'opened up. Suppose, for instance, we have a railway cutting straight :across country; then it is obvious that, if a road between the same terminal points be subsequently built, this road will be more useful if it curves in and out, .cutting the railway at frequent points.
.Both Rail and Rind Transport Necessary.
Going ae step further, it seems .tofrne that, in all pioneer work for the creation of transport facilities, the ultimate existence of both road and railway should he assumed, and, if necessary,immediate efficiency should be to someextent sacrificed with a view to securing greater ultimate efficiency. Suppose, for instance, that the policy mentioned above as having been advocated. for Nigeri!a, is adopted in some quarter. The railway, .presumably, extends from the coast to some terminal point inland. Almost certainly, there is an intention to extend the railway farther inland, perhaps in more than one direction, when traffic has been developed sufficiently to justify the first cost and the necessary establishment. Meanwhile, the roads form the railway extensions. Now, if we built these roads exactly along the routes. clearly indicated as the ultimate-railway routes, we should have finally an obsolete road, the capital value of which .must be written off. The alternative is so to lay out the road as deliberately to avoid what will be the ultimaterailway route and to form what would appear in the map as 'a snakelike highway 'upthe centre of which the railway will
subsequently be driven, halts being placed at the points of intersection. This road will be rather unnecessarily long. Possibly its gradients will be rather less favourable than they might have been. For the time being, the _cost -of road transport will be slightly augmented but, when the railway comes, every yard of the road will continue to be useful. The combination will make either road or rail, or both. accessible to those responsible for a larger area of territory.
For a similar reason, I maintain that, where a 'good road already exists, if traffic demands the construction of a light railway, it will be wise to go to the expense of a slightly less direct route with rather greater mileage and, possibly, rather higher costs of construction, in order that the benefits resulting shall not only apply to those already within reach of the road, but shall be useful to others situated beyond the radius at which the road could be regarded as accessible.