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The Improvement of London Traffic.*

29th June 1905, Page 10
29th June 1905
Page 10
Page 11
Page 10, 29th June 1905 — The Improvement of London Traffic.*
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

How great the future needs of London are likely to become may be inferred from the figures put forward by Mr. Edgar Harper, the statistical officer to the London County Council, who estimated, in his evidence before the Royal Commission on London Traffic, that the population of greater London in 19,31 will amount to 9,277,163, and that by far the major portion of the increase must take place in suburban districts. Thus, it appears certain that, even when the existing railway companies have completed the widening works which many of them have in hand, and the numerous tube railways are constructed and working, there will still remain an enormous field to he covered. The Main Avenues suggested follow routes in every way suitable for passenger traffic, and railways constructed along them, in combination with a system of feeder tramways, would be capable of serving an immense existing and future population. The chief object to be secured is the rapid conveyance of passengers between their homes and places of business, and the area of London is so great that this cannot be done by tramways alone. It needs a combination of relatively high-speed railways, radiating from the centre, with tramway feeders, connecting the railways, laterally, with the districts through which they pass. Au important point, which would be met by lines along the proposed Avenues, is that such railways should pass right through the central area of London—not merely enter it. This is required to enable the majority of passengers to be conveyed close to their destinations and, by distributing the traffic, to avoid the congestion, which now takes place, morning and evening at certain railway and tramway termini. These should not be tolerated in any crowded area such as the city of London.

Assuming the construction of railways along the routes of the Main Avenues, it is worth while to ascertain exactly what area they would serve (see Fig. 1). As already stated the morning and evening traffic, to and from the centre, is the governing factor. If that is satisfactorily dealt with, intermediate traffic is certain to be sufficiently provided for. Laying it down that, for effective service, the time occupied in travelling from door to door must not exceed 45 minutes, and assuming that the stations on the railways along the Main Avenues are not more than about a mile apart, and are each fed by lateral tramways ; that the average speed on the railways is 24 miles per hour, including stops, and on the feeder tramways eight miles per hour ; that the time occupied in walking. to and from the railways and tramways, is not more than 15 minutes, one half being taken at either end of the journey ; the area properly covered may easily be calculated. As the central point of the north and south Main Avenue is at the crossing of Fleet Street, and that of the west and east Avenue at Liverpool Street station the outer limits of this area would be ral miles from these points, measured along the Avenues, representing 30 minutes' railway travelling and 15 minutes' walking, or together 45 minutes, the limiting time adopted. Applying the same principle to intermediate points, it will be seen that, as the centre is approached, the area served widens out. For instance, six miles from Liverpool Street or Fleet Street, only 15 minutes would be required in the train, and t5 minutes for walking, leaving 15 minutes available for a tram journey, equivalent to a distance of two miles, so that, at this point, the width efficiently served would be four miles, plus, say, half a mile, on each side, for walking distance. On the basis outlined, the total area served would be 162 square miles, of which so square miles would be included within a radius of four miles from St. Paul's Cathedral, and the remainder in four wedge-shaped pieces, extending to the four cardinal points of the compass (see Fig. i. The present population within these areas is three millions, within the four mile radius, and 2,200,000 within the wedge-shaped pieces. Thus, railways along the Main Avenues would serve a total present population of 5,200,000.

Within the central area the major portion of the population would only use the railways incidentally, that is, not for the purpose of travelling to and from their business, but that of the outer districts would chiefly use them, in the morning and evening, to travel to and from work. The importance of the latter traffic far outweighs that of the former, and, in estimating the need for the suggested railways, their convenience to the residents within the four mile radius may be neglected, except when dealing with their earning capacity. The probable growth of population has already been touched upon. The outer wedgeshaped areas include those districts which are growing most rapidly and where there is enormous scope for increase. It is therefore not unreasonable to suppose that if the total population of London in 1931 be over nine millions, that of these areas will be at least four millions, which figure is little more than the arithmetical proportion due to the present number of inhabitants.

Taking the number of journeys per head per annum, made by Londoners, at 250 (in New York it exceeds 300), a population of four millions would make ‘,000,000,000 journeys per annum, and, although this total includes every kind of journey, whether in omnibus, tramcar, or train, it will at least serve to indicate the very large requirements with which railways along the proposed Main Avenues would be in touch, and it will enable some idea to be formed as to how far the following estimates are reasonable. In calculating the actual traffic likely to be carried by the railways and tramways, it has been assumed that it would take 15 years, from the date of commencement of construction, to acquire the necessary land, sell the surplus, and build the works. Before construction could be commenced the details of the scheme must be thoroughly worked out and Parliamentary sanction obtained. The following figures must, therefore, be considered as applicable to the year 1924 or thereabouts. flaying regard to the particulars already given of the vast total needs of the areas served, and to the uniform success so far as regards traffic which has attended the construction of new and improved facilities for passenger transport in London, it may be safely affirmed that these railways and tramways are

more likely to be worked to their utmost capacity than to suffer from a lack of patronage. Upon the Central London Railway nearly 7i millions of passengers are carried per mile per annum, and upon the Metropolitan of Paris Railway, which is a more extended system, over seven millions.

The traffic on the whole 48 miles of the Main Avenue railways is estimated at 251,000,000 passengers per annum, or 5,230,000 per mile of line per annum, equal to about 70 per cent, of the results secured by the Central London Railway. It is estimated that the tramways along the Main Avenues would carry 4,000,000 passengers per mile per annum, or a total for the 48 miles of 192,000,000, the figures being based upon the actual results of tramways in large towns, allowance being made for the intention to charge id. fares and for the short average distance likely to be travelled.

There are three types of railway which is would be practicable to build in connection with the Main Avenues, namely : (1) Suspended, over the motor road (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4) ; (2) Shallow subway, beneath the lower roads where the Main Avenues are double decked (see Fig. 5); (3) Tubes. The suspended railway is a new type of overhead structure, an example of which, 8f, miles long, has been in operation between Vohwinkel and Barmen, in Germany, for the past three years. This line traverses important and very narrow streets, but has proved entirely satisfactory, and now carries upwards of 10,ocio,00o of passengers per annum. It differs materially from all other types of railway, the carriages being hung from a single rail, without guide wheels of any description. The supporting girders are extremely light ; there is no decking, and the motive power is electricity. Both as regards wsthetic appearance, obstruction to light and air, and silence in working, the suspended railway would be infinitely superior to an overhead line of the type used in New York or at Liverpool, the construction of which, in a situation like that under consideration, would be quite out of the question. Neither shallow subway, nor tube railways, need any detailed description. Constructed in connection with the Main Avenues, the former would sometimes be below the level of Thames high water mark, which might give rise to difficulties, and sections of the latter would require to be built through water-bearing strata, and might be very costly. Any method of tramway construction could be adopted, but the overhead conductor is suggested on the ground that it is by far the cheaper and is also more efficient, while the width of the proposed roads minimises the objections to posts and wires.

The following Table gives the estimated cost of the two Main Avenues, exclusive of the railways and tramways along them. The land and buildings were valued by Mr. W. Ralph Low, A.R.I.B.A., who also estimated the recoupment from the sale of surplus lands. The figures for the north and south Main Avenue include the whole cost and recoupment of the property at the junction of the two Avenues, which accounts for the variation in the figures. The cost of the works at this point is divided equally between the Avenues.

The cost of the Railways and Tramways, including complete equipment, would be as follows :—

Case 1.—Railways suspended 48.640,000

Case IL—Railways in shallow subway 17,040,000 Case 111.—Railways in tubes ... 21,552,000 It is proposed that for tariff purposes these railways should be divided into zones, namely : a central zone comprising the lines within a radius of four miles from St. Paul's Cathedral, or approximately the middle eight miles of both the north and south and east and west railways; and an outer zone in sections formed by the extremities of each railway, each about eight miles long. After 7.30 a.m. and before 11 a.m. there would be a uniform fare of 3d. per passenger entering the trains in the

terminal zone, and ad. between the same hours for those entering in the central zone. Between 4.30 p.m. and 8 p.m. the position would be reversed. During the rest of the day, the fares over the whole system would be ad., except that before 7.30 a.m. return tickets would be issued for one fare, that is, 3d. in the outer zone, and 2d. in the central zone. On the basis of the greatest distance it would be possible to travel, the foregoing normal fares represent one-eighth and one-twelfth of a penny per mile, respectively, and for workmen one-sixteenth of a penny per mile ; they are less than the fares at present charged by any railway company. On the tramways id. fares would be taken, and the average per passenger is estimated at 0.8d. Upon the basis of these fares, and the before-mentioned traffics, it is estimated that the gross revenue from both railways and tramways, during the sixteenth year from the commencement of construction, when the whole scheme would be complete and the outlying districts traversed largely developed, would be 43,377,50p, and the net revenue, 41,624,750. The preceding estimates of cost do not include interest on capital during construction, which must be taken into account to enable an opinion to be formed of the financial aspect of these proposals. Including this item, the position during the sixteenth and following years would be :—

Case 1.—Main Avenues with suspended railways:—

Total capital expenditure ... 433,137,000 Annual surplus, after providing interest at 3} per cent, and for the service of a

sinking fund on a 6o years' basis 366,544

Case 11.—Main Avenue.; with railways in shallow subways :— Total capital expenditure

Annual deficit after providing interest and for the service of a sinking fund as 444,637,00a

Demote 71,456

Case 111.—Main Avenues with railways in tubes:—

Total capital expenditure ... 451,207,000 Annual deficit after providing interest and for the service of a sinking fund as 321,116

In conclusion, and summing up generally, it appears (i) That new main thoroughfares are necessary to provide for the present and future needs of vehicular traffic. (a) That they must be combined with railways and tramways, in order to meet the requirements of the growing population for further and better means of passenger transport, and to render it economically possible to re-house the working classes disturbed. (3) That such new thoroughfares should commence and terminate in the more distant suburbs, traverse the central business area, and serve the great railway termini and other existing centres of traffic. (4) That they should be elevated in busy districts to pass over cross streets, the space below being occupied by auxiliary roads, and (5) That a portion of their width should be specially reserved for fast motor vehicles.

The specific proposals and estimates now put forward may

fairly be said to show that the construction of new main roads on these lines is financially feasible, and might even he directly

profitable, while great public benefit would result, not only from the improvement in means of communication, but also from the removal of insanitary and overcrowded dwellings.


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