M.A. Highways Plan for Greater London
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THE Roads Improvement Associa
tion has recently submitted a memorandum to Sir Charles H. Bressey, G.B., F.S.I., setting out some factors for consideration in the creation of a highway development plan for Greater London. To determine the scale on which a plan of this kind should be conceived, it is necessary, says the memorandum, to consider the value of time lost in traffic delays. It is estimated that, in the metropolitan area, allowing for the labour value of persons and the money value of material immobilized, whether road, bus, cab, lorry, car, cycle or horsed vehicle, the loss was, some years ago, approximately £25,000,000 per annum.
The memorandum then proceeds to deal with easy contact between workers and the industries throughout Greater London, road traffic from railway terminals, and circulation to and from central areas. In considering these B94 problems, the Association submits that the main principle of a highway development plan for Greater London should be the construction of concentric ring roads. Central London would be the natural hub of the rings, which would facilitate the circulation of traffic, with a minimum of crossings, hold-ups and other congestion. Here and there direct entry into the hub from outside may be provided by bridge crossings.
In connection with this scheme, the Association observes that the motorvehicle driver prefers the road which offers the least loss of time to that which provides the shortest direct distance.
The question of street name plates, waiting vehicles and vehicles returning empty is also dealt with in the memorandum. and, in the case of the last named, it is pointed out that an effort should be made to induce the driver to use the ring roads.
Air transport also comes under notice, and it is pointed out that ring arteries connected by radiating roads to the aerodromes would achieve the necessary linkage and bring air transport into wider use: Road rather than rail transport is suitable for aerodrome scrvices, because the road unit more closely approximates the carrying capacity of the air unit.
Three ring arteries are suggested for London and one outside the Metropolis, and details are given in the memorandum. . It is suggested that these works should be carried out over five or more years and would involve an expenditure between Z4,000.000 and £5,000,000 a year.
The memorandum concludes with some general observations and deals with an additional method of tackling the problem in which it is suggested that some limit should be placed on the growth of London.