Why Roads Are Overcrowded
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'WHAT makes Britain's roads the most IfIr crowded in the world? An 'answer is supplied in the British Road Federation's 1961 edition of their booklet, "Basic Road Statistics." It is that there is one vehicle for every 38 yards of road, street and country lane in Britain.
"Wehave 33.2 vehicles of four or more wheels per mile of road-6.2 more than West Germany and 12.2 more than the United States. The British figure soars to 46.5 when Motor cycles and other vehicles are added," says the booklet.
The total number of vehicles in use in 1960 was 9,383,I40—five million more than in 1950. Five-and-a-half million of that figure comprised cars—more than in any other country except the United States.
In 1960-61 the Government took £661,300,000 (11.1 per cent of the national revenue) in motor taxation—over five times more than they were collecting ten years ago, when the percentage of national revenue was 5.3. Government's share of spending on the roads amounted to £98.851,000 in 1959-60—less than onesixth of taxation. In addition, local authorities spent about £89 million. "Basic Road Statistics" is available from the British Road Federation, 26 Manchester Square, London, W.1, at Is.. plus 5d. postage.
"Right-hand Priority" Being Tested
THE suggested "right-hand priority" rule on roundabouts is being given a trial at Ganes Hill roundabout, Ilford.
The Road Research Laboratory, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, the highway authority and the police, arranged the experiment which is the first of its kind in the London area.
Signs are being displayed at all the six road entries to the roundabout asking drivers to "Give Way to Traffic from Right."
THE DOVER ROAD
IMPROVEMENT to "near motorway" 1 standards of the London end of the Dover Road (A2) was foreshadowed by plans published last Friday by the Ministry of Transport.
The plans, providing for the improvement of more than 3+ miles of the A2 (Rochester Way) through Bexley in Kent, are part of the Transport Minister's major scheme for the provision of dual carriageways between the Medway motor road (M2)—now under construction—and the L.C.C. boundary at Woolwich.