IMPROVING CROSS-RIVER TRANSPORT.
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The Effect Which Inadequate Ferry Services on Merseyside Exerts Upon Road Transport Costs.
Air -R. CHARLES R. WHITNALL, IYI.secretary of the Liverpool area of the Commercial Motor Users Association has received a letter from Seammell. Lorries, Ltd., stating that their attention has been called from time to time to the fact that the Mersey ferry authorities will not permit a six-wheeled Scammoll lorry to UNE the ferry with a load greater than 7i tons. They have been advised that the Mersey ferry authorities decline to accept the amended order legalizing axle weights, which makes it possible for a Seenamell trecter-lorry to carry ten tons of paying load, and complain that the attitude of the authorities is inconsistent in that they permit four-wheeled vehicles, notably steam wagons and trailers, the combined load and weight of which are often greater than that of the Scammell, to use the ferry.
The manager of the Wallasey Corporation ferries, Seacombe, Cheshire, replied to the C.Pettf.A. that his headquarters had no knowledge of any restriction on that service, and that Scammell or other heavy lorries are-able to use the system provided they comply with the regulations of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board so far as axle and total weights are concerned.
The new Wallasey luggage steamers— two are in service—have been designed for 20-ton axle loads, whilst the new landing-stage now under construction, and anticipated to be ready for -use in
September or October, is designed for equal weights. Unfortunately, at the present time motor vehicles have to make use, during other than two hours before and after high water, of hydraulic lifts. These lifts are 28 ft. long and 10 ft. wide, so that the size of vehicles which can be expeditiously handled is limited by these dimensions and a gross weight of 13 tons. A single-track bridge 160 ft. long is available at all times, but owing to its short length it assumes an inclination up to I_ in 5.8 at extreme lowwater spring tides—the gradient, of course, varies with the tidal level.
No Objection to Scammells.
The ferries manager of the Birkenhead Corporation says that the corporation has no objection in regard to Scammell tractor-lorries. Motor vehicle users, however, should observe that under the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board regulations the following motorcars, vehicles and trailers are forbidden to use the Liverpool landing-stage or the floating roadways (Liverpool and Birkenheael) (a) Motorcars or vehicles which, with or without load, exceed 12 tons weight or nine tons on any one axle; and (h) Trailers which, with or without load, attached to any motorcar or vehicle exceed six tons in weight. Speaking at the May meeting of the Birkenhead Chamber of Commerce, Mr. W. T. Mayor, the chairman, said the
matter of the Mersey tonne' scheme had reached another important stage. He was advised by these in responsible positions that the present cost of transport between Liverpool and Birkenhead was over 5s. par ton more than it should be because of the unreliable means of COMmunication. It followed, also, that the cost of road transport between the great mills in Lancashire and Yorkshire and the steamers in Birkenhead docks was also 5s. per ton mere than it should be When road vehicles reached Liverpool, he said, it took them longer to get from Liverpool to Birkenhead than to reach the pier-head from the mills, which resulted in an excessive haulage charge equivalent to a 5s. per ton export tax on all merchandise passing through the Birkenhead docks.
No qne, said Mr. McIvor, would be sufficiently optimistic to think that the present luggage services would ever supply the line of communication that was necessary if these areas are to develop on progressive lines. There was nothing to prevent Birkenhead becoming what Trafford Park had been to Manchester— viz. an inexhanstible centre of employment and a source of revenue which served as a constant contribution to the rates. Sir William Forwood, one a the strongest advocates of a scheme to link the shores of Lancashire and Cheshire, says that a tunnel, with its approaches, will cost L7,250,000; but, after crediting the contributions by the Government and the tramways authorities, the outlay will be equal to in addition to the rates of Ncl. in the Z. The tunnel, as designed, -will be a wide and spacious avenue, brilliantly lighted and lined with iron, so that it will be perfectly dry. The upper section will accommodate four lines of traffic, the lower section two lines of tramways, with abundant space for foot passengers. Ordinary traffic will enter the approaches about Whitechapel, Liverpool, and heavy traffic at the dockside. The Merseyside municipal authorities and the dock hoard will now have to consider if the direct and indirect advantages which will accrue to the district from the construction of a tunnel will compensate them for such an outlay.
Liverpool and its sister corporations form one great. entrepot, the main business of which is to receive the raw produce of the world and pass it on to the large manufacturing centres and then to ship the finished products abroad. It is obvious that the better and cheaper the facilities provided for vehicles engaged in this trade the greater will be its
volume. At present the river forms a serious barrier to its development-4 involves expense and delay.