Government Neglect Cause of Bad •Roads
Page 34
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
" cXPERTS state that serious deterioration of British roads has already started," said Lord Sandhurst, chairman of the British Road Federation at the annual general meeting of the Federation last Thursday. Owing to increased costs and Government restrictions on expenditure. 40 per cent. less .maintenance work was being carried Out now than before the war.
RoadsWere:being resurfaced each year at is rate of one mile in 75. Prewar 'figures were one mile in 32. In some parts of -the country, money intended for general maintenance work was being diverted to prevent collapse of stretches of highway, said Lord Sandhurst.
An additional sum of £17,000,000 would restore Britain's roads to their pre-war condition. Whilst refusing to agree to the expenditure of this comparatively modest sum, the Government handled a Budget of some
£4.000.000,000. Road. transport contributed £220,000,000 as a result of increased taxation and the freeing of fuel. Only £50,000,000 was being spent annually on roads.
APPEAL TRIBUNAL BUSY
rROM June 20-22, the Appeal
Tnibunal, sitting at Halifax House, Strand, London, W.C.2, will hear three appeals, in the first of which the Road Haulage Executive will appeal against a decision of the South-Eastern Deputy Licensing :Authority. ,G.B. Transport are, the respondents.
-On the following day. Western Haulage .Contractors (Plymouth), Ltd., will appeal against a decision of the Western Licensing Authority.
On June 22, the Tribunal will hear the.appeal of Mr. H. Hannon, Mr. K: A. Oughton, Mr. A. D. Oughton and Mir. B. J. Wise against a decision of the
South -Eastern Deputy Licensing Authority, to which the Railway Executive, Lone Star Transport. Ltd., and Taylors of . Rottingdean, Ltd., will respond.
ADVERTISING THE FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN
STRIPPED' of seats and fitted out as mobile exhibitions, four new London Transport double-deckers will shortly he starting on a 4,000-mile European tour, bringing to each of the countries they visit a picture of Britain in miniature. Like heralds of an earlier age, they will announce and advertise the Festival of Britain, 1951.
Starting in August, the vehicles will visit Norway, . Sweden, 'Denmark, Holland, . Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Stops of from two to six days will be made at the principal towns and cities. en' route, and it is expected that the buses will return to this country in October.
They./ will run together -as a team, with drivers recruited from London 'Transport driving staff. The vehicles are all of the RT-type, based on A.E.C. Regent Mk. lIrchassis with Park Royal bodywork and finished in standard L.T. colours.
A32 Interior designs which have been prepared for the vehicles include displays of photographs; posters and paintings depicting the various exhibitions to be held in conjunction with the Festival.
R.H.E. CONCILIATION PROGRESS Rif OST of the conditions of employment of the maintenance and repair grades among employees of the Road Haulage Executive have been agreed between the Executive and the Transport and General Workers' Union. Wages have yet to be determined. According to the Union, the Executive has accepted the principle that maintenance workers should receive two weeks' annual holiday with pay, starting this year, although it is difficult to put it into effect.
ANTI-NATIONALIZATION , PROTEST
PROTESTS have been received by 1 Prudhoe-on-Tyne Urban Council: from the local branch of the National Union of Railwaymen concerning antibus-nationalization advertisements in the council's bus shelters. The council has stated that the contract for advertising has been arranged for 12 months and the matter may be reconsidered when the contract is to be renewed.