Bus boost in US
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It would seem that Mr P. J. Walker's statement (Letters, last week) "Every transport man knows that at a given traffic density, rail transport becomes the more efficient: the greater the density the greater the advantage" is in fact a popular fallacy which lingers on from the days when railways were competing with horse-drawn transport using antiquated roads.
In the London rush-hour it is very rare for a single line of railway to carry more than 12,000 passengers per hour, yet in the USA the sub-standard Interstate 495 bus lane in New Jersey has recently been carrying over 25,000 passengers in a peak-hour in 573 buses and the Port Authority bus station is being extended to take advantage of spare capacity.
With this in mind I feel sure that buses operating on motorways will be able to provide a far better, cheaper and more frequent service than existing trains. The new motorways which are so vital if buses are to give their full potential could very cheaply and quickly be provided by converting railways into roads as Mr Edward Smith, whose article was reported in CM, February 9, so wisely advocates.
A. I. WATKINSON, Harrogate