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Big Soviet Plans for Road Transport

24th January 1936
Page 39
Page 39, 24th January 1936 — Big Soviet Plans for Road Transport
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Commercial Vehicles Over Three Times as Numerous as Cars. Extensive State Network of Service and Repair Shops. Important Road-development Scheme

IN the Soviet Union, the road motor, Ion the one ' hand, is an auxiliary means for transport, hauling freight to and from railways and portS over short distances, and, on the other, is the basic form of transport in districts with little-developed railivays or water facilities, such as Kazakstan, Eastern Siberia and the Central Asiatic republics. Road transport also plays a great part in Soviet agriculture, where success in sowing, harvesting and transport largely depends on the efficient operation of lorries, and on the condition of the roads.

Vractically the whole industrial output, except of enterprises situated in the immediate vicinity of railway stations or water routes, is transported by motor.

Fivefold Increase iii Vehicles.

In the period from 1931 to 1935 the number of motor vehicles in the U.S.S.R. increased five-fold, reaching 180,000 on January 1 of this year. Of this number, 130,000 were commercial vehicles and 50,000 cars. As a result of the increase, the freight hauled by motors in 1934 was some 26.2 per cent, of the total, whereas in 1931 it formed only 8.5 per cent. Motor vehicles also became a greater factor in passenger transport in 1934, as the following table indicates: road transport was almost equal to that

of the railways. HoWever, by tonkiloin. and passenger-kilom. ratings it does not stand so high, because of the short average haul.

. These figures refer only to the vehicles under the Central Administra• tion for Road Transport, known as Tsudortrans... This organization is responsible for delivering goods to and from the railways, arranging transport over short distances, carrying goods and passengers on the highways and international lines, and directing the repair shops for motor vehicles all over the Soviet Union.

With the growth of the number of road vehicles, these shops have become so numerous and important that a special organization has been set up, known as Avtoremsnab (Automobile Repair and Supply), which is gradually becoming an agency for production, instead of merely supply. This year it controls seven motor repair shops, seven repair stations, a plant, called Garo, for the manufacture of garage and repair-shop equipment, and 17 tyrerepair workshops.

It is estimated that the value of the Avtoremsnab enterprises in the current year will amount to 80,400,000 roubles at fixed 1926-7 prices: The manufacture of . garage and repair-shop equipment has been organized in the U.S.S.R. for the first time.

The Tsudortrans also maintains 72 supply stations and 140 petrol stations, which are estimated to realize 326,000,000 roubles this year, an increase of 26 per cent.• over the figure for 1934. It is calculated that the demand will be satisfied to the extent of only O per cent. Capital investments, this year, will amount to 45,500,000 roubles, ip order to extend existing facilities, chiefly by increasing plants and stations. At the present time, the available facilities for repairs cover only 20-25 per cent, of the demand.

The rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles emphasized the need for building good new roads. On January 1, 1935, the system of made roads in the Soviet Union totalled 1,368,000 Idioms., of which natural gravel roads formed1,146,000 kiloms. and built roads 221,600 kiloms. Of these, 160,600 kiloms. were crowned and 'improved gravel roads. and 61,000 .kiloms. hard surfaced.

Road Allocations.

The maintenance of existing roads is a charge on the Union, republican and local budgets. The following table shows budget allocations in 1934 and 1935 for road maintenance, in million roubles : Capital expenditure on roads, this year, will amount to 395,150,004 roubles, of which 331,000,000 roubles will be spent on the Union roads, 22,650,000 roubles on republican roads and the rest on local roads. Some 3,500 kiloms. of roads are to he macadamized and 400 kiloms. are to be of asphalt-concrete and concrete.

The approaches to important cities are first on the list, then a model road between Sochy and Matzeska, highways in the Buriat-Mongolian Republic, Kazakslan, and so on.

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