PLANNING THE COUNTRY'S TRAFFIC
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!THOSE Government Departments 1 which are large users of transport will be soon forecasting their traffic movements for the summer. Those cover many millions of tons and include all imports as well as internal movements, both military and civil, with which the Departments are concerned directly or indirectly, also the transit of many commodities controlled under zoning schemes. Twice a year, the estimates go to the Central Transport Comrnittse of the M. of W.T.
. Apart from coal, the routing of which is decided by a special committee' of the Ministry of Fuel and Power, there. is during winter a number of exceptionally heavy movements, such as that of seed plotatoes, and the C.T.C. determines the proportions to . be carried by various meansCentral planning is also applied, in growing measure, to the .traffics of lesser volume. It is also responsible for eliminating waste and securing economies in the use of transport, already having initiated many measures for avioiding cross-hauls and those of unnecessary length. The zoning of distribution has increased rapidly. The sector scheme, introduced by the Ministry of Food, covers more than 90 per cent, of the 'grocery and provision trade, Other schemes have secured big economies in the transport of such commodities as cereals, flour, meat, livestock, biscuits, fruit, vegetables and fish. The same principles are, applied by the Supply Departments in dealing with raw materials and finished products, and by the Board of Trade in the distribution of cigarettes.and furniture.
. The C.T.C. acts as a clearing house for the•country's-traffic, but does much more. It anticipates transport difficulties and takes steps to avoid them.
Another body is a Committee which investigates any tendency to divert traffic undesirably from or to the railways as a result of the flat rates for Government traffic by railway, and it suggests remedial steps. In deciding whether Government traffic shall go by rail, road or water, cost is disregarded. the only criterion b.eing the best use-of
available means. •
The establishment of effective control over transport demands and services has been complicated by the number and diversity of undertakings.. There are the principal railways,300400 owners and managers of coastal vessels of over 100 tons, over 500 canal carriers, and some 60,000 road hauliers, apart from the many C-licensees.