A Campaign for National Highways
Page 28
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THE chairman of the British Road Federation, Mr. G. N. Wilson, has been busy speaking on road problems.
On March 6, at a B.R.F. luncheon to a group of Members of Parliament interested in agricultural questions, he said that road transport was eminently suited to meet the needs of the farmer, but the complexity of our inlandtransport system made it impossible for any sectional body to view the whole question in its true perspective, He referred to the recent report, in the form of a presidential message, which was prepared by the Interregional Highway Committee of America, and he suggested that our Government should institute a similar inquiry here. The information required was already in the hands of the M.O.W.T. Now was the time to collate and publish it.
The following day he spoke to members of the Trade and Technical Press mainly in connection with the B.R.F. advocacy of motorways. He said that although there might be slight variations of opinion as to detail, on, the broad and final issue for the need of a proper road system for England, all are in agreement. He thought it must be recognized that the task involved is so vast that it is one which can be undertaken only by the central Government. He would be a bold man, however, who said that the M.O.W.T. was even interested in , roads, and after the remarks concerning single-purpose roads, made by Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, we are left with the unhappy impression that he was yielding with reluctance and only to pressure from the . public and those M.P.s who are taking an active interest in inland transport. There was no need for " experiments " to be undertaken. The Ministry had all the data needed to formulate a plan.
Benefits that ,Would Accrue from Motorways The civil servants and the Treasury should be the servants of the general public and of road users, and not, as . they are at the moment, secret pundits operating a restrictive and abortive policy. It is operators of transport, builders of vehicles, representative bodies of professional men and, indeed, the general public who will benefit by the immense redaction costs which motorways would bring. They should be given an opportunity to consider any scheme which the Government may have in mind and to tender their advice, which would prove of inestimable value. If, on the other hand, the Government has no comprehensive policy, then the whole question should be brought into the open.
The institution of Commissions and the publication of White Papers are only two of many tedious methods of procrastination with which we are all so familiar, What we need is immediate publication, of the facts, then there will be no difficulty in devising an overall plan of road construction and improvement, to be put into effect within a reasonable time.
National planning, however, in any particular department, cannot stand by itself, but must be co-ordinated in every other direction. It would be absurd to plan housing or industry location without planning roads.
There is no section of informed opinion or source of national influence which has more loyally and persistently advocated those improvements which scientific knowledge has devised and experience' has weighed, than the Technical Press.