ROAD AND BRIDGE COSTS IN SOMERSET T HE annual report of
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
the surveyor of Somerset County Council, dealing with the maintenance and repair of county roads and bridges, has recently been issued in respect of the year ended March 31, 1932. It shows that the mileage of Class I roads is 408.33, and of Class II roads 275.33, whilst that of unclassified roads is 3,181.60. The approved estimated expenditure for the year was :—rural delegated roads, £539,792; urban delegated roads, £60,683.
In connection with the work of the department, a fleet of 25 Sentinel and Foden steam wagons—in the main, 5-tonners—was employed. The average cost per working day for this fleet was £2 6s. 0.56d., the average cost per loaded mile being 2s. 2.434., and per mile travelled 1s. 1.534. The average cost per ton carried worked out at 2s. 6.90., the figure per ton-mile being 4.734. A number of petrol and steam rollers is also employed, the average cost per day for the former working out at £1 2s. 5.464., and for the latter £1 is. 2.114. In considering these figures, it must be remembered that there are only two petrol rollers, as against 26 steam rollers. The petrol rollers are of Barford and Perkins make, the steam rollers being of Aveling and Porter, Fowler. Marshall and Wallis and Steevens makes.
A certain number of tractors is also in commission and, during the year, their average cost per working day proved to be £1 16s. 8.88d., the average cost per ton carried being 2s. 3.74. and per ton-mile 6.92d. For a fleet of light lorries the total working cost came out at £2,230 Os. 11d, for a total of 1,908 days' work, the average cost per day being 11 3s. 4.424. The vehicles travelled an aggregate mileage of 81,771, their average cost per mile working out at 6.554.
Two footpath rollers were operated at an average cost per day of 12s. 4.81d. in respect of 99 days' working.