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A Comparison !

22nd February 1935
Page 35
Page 35, 22nd February 1935 — A Comparison !
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

WHILST the British motorist, and particularly the commercial-vehicle user and driver, is suffering under a plethora of laws and regulations, is treated as if he had little, if any, right to the use of the highway, and is constantly prosecuted for one or other of the innumerable offences, the committing of which it is practically impossible to avoid, Germany is doing everything in its power to encourage motor manufacture and operation, regarding the two as constituting the key industry of the country.

Engaged in it at present are 600,000 workers and an additional 400,000 are building the new motor roads. In Britain the comparable figures are over 1,250,000, but only 100,000 are employed in road construction and maintenance.

We attended the impressive ceremony of the opening of the Berlin Motor Show by Herr Hitler, and his speech was a revelation compared with the weak-kneed attitude adopted towards i oad transport by many of our administrators. German authority intends to make the country motorminded, recognizing that, whilst the railways can continue to carry out a useful function, it is the road that will bear most of the transport of ,the future, and the German railways, instead of placing every obstacle in the way of endeavours in this direction, are making big preparations themselves to utilize the roads.

In Germany, at least, words are quickly trans. formed into actions. It is only two years since the Chancellorpromised the motor industry that it would be given encouragement and not dominated .by railway influence, and the Motor Show which is now being held in Berlin indicates the way in which the makers have responded to this promise. The area provided for exhibits is 550,000 q, .ft., compared with 165,000 sq. ft at last year's Show.

Amongst themeasures to encourage motor traffic which have been taken by the German Government are extensive exemptions from the motor-vehicle taxes, the reduction of insurance premiums, the lowering of car-licence fees, increased facilities for obtaining drivers' licences, the granting of taxation relief when old vehicles are replaced by new ones, and the publication of uniform and clear road-traffic regulations.

Germany is looking to the combination of highway-construction and road transport as one of the most important means for overcoming the economic crisis. Britain, whilst partially recovered, has still a long way to go and might well look in the same direction. Our, somewhat feeble, five-year road plan is a tardy recognition of the need for meeting the ever-increasing requirements of road transport. Britain's highways have lagged far behind our transport media. Only now are we considering the future, when the work itself should have loden started 15 years ago.

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Organisations: German Government
Locations: Berlin

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