Dangers of superficiality

20th September 1968, Page 212

20th September 1968

Page 212

Page 212, 20th September 1968 — Dangers of superficiality

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1.13 In no sphere is superficiality more dangerous than in transport. The swift sweep of the eye that sees the simple solution in a glance—"get all this heavy freight traffic off the road and on to the rail!" How easy it all is 1.14 But wait a moment. Think of the enormous volume of goods which are moved by lorry during the night when the roads are virtually empty. Consider the possibility that at these times the corresponding rail paths may well be congested.

1.15 Above all-remember that (apart from siding-to-siding traffic" which is on rail anyway) all goods traffic must start by road and finish by road; and the lorry you see on the road in the daytime is probably going to a factory to pick. up or deliver a load; the trunk journey will be at night and may indeed be by rail. Or the vehicle may be travelling a relatively short journey from one factory to another; or (especially in the case of those mammoth loads which cause the most annoyance to motorists) conveying something which (for loading-gauge reasons or otherwise) just can't travel by rail.

1.16 These are just a few obvious points which swiftly take you a few steps below the level of the obvious and the superficial. I mention them, not for the purpose of building up an argument in favour of road, but just to establish the point that the transport problem is not a simple one—and to demonstrate the need to go down to the roots if a solid incontrovertible solution is to be found.