Some Informative Facts from the Minister I N proposing the
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toast, " Trade and Transport," at the annual dinner of the Devonport Mercantile Association last Monday, the Minister of Transport referred to trade and transport as terrestrial twins which were born together, grow together and are almost indistinguishable from one another, and if one dies the other perishes. They are now associated upon a great adventure, for five years ago we entered upon a new stage of our economic development.
It is not sufficiently appreciated that London and the South East, into which additional population at the rate of 150,000 a year is being poured, exceeds the combined populations of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, whilst Lancashire and Cheshire have about the same number of inhabitants as Australia.
Internal manufacturing production is now at its highest recorded figure, and it is to meet this expansion that the Government is devoting so much attention to transport. Main-line railways have been assisted in raising £26,000,000 at a low rate of interest; for a similar purpose, £40,000,000 have been made available for London and its suburbs, 'whilst under the Five Years' programme, highway authorities have already submitted schemes estimated at £130,000,000, of the approved cost of which 70 per cent. will be borne by the Road Fund, in addition to its annual commitments of £17,000,000 for maintenance, etc.
The principles on Which otir new roads are being constructed and the old improved, are set out in a circular issued this week to highway authori ties. The unit for each traffic lane is fixed at 10 ft. or 11 ft., and where more than 400 vehicles pass at the peak hour there should be dual carriageways, so that, building up from this standard measure, we reach a road 140 ft. wide, with separate tracks and ample central reservatians, cycle tracks, margins and verges and space for trees and shrubs. Yet 10 years ago a width of 60 ft. was considered generous.
The County of Devon intends to exercise its full powers to restrict building within 220 ft. of the middle of all its classified roads, and this week the Minister has approved its resolution to extend the same restrictions to no less than 2,500 of its unclassified roads. If other counties sheiw similar vision, ribbon development will effectively be brought to an end.