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An Appeal for Cleaner Streets.

4th February 1909
Page 1
Page 1, 4th February 1909 — An Appeal for Cleaner Streets.
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Drivers of self-propelled vehicles are sometimes able to score against those in charge of horses, in respect of certainty and regularity of progression, but the converse holds good when street surfaces are in particular stages of sliminess. We quite agree that the cleansing departments of our public authorities cannot be expected to overcome the elements at all times, but it is becoming increasingly evident that periodic revisions of method will be necessary as the proportion of motor traffic increases. This theme, as many of our supporters well know, is one of our favourites : there is no occasion to epoIogise for returning to it. We are prompted to do so, on this occasion, by reason of the experiences which befell a number of motor drivers, in one of London's main arteries, on the night of Friday last, when, following a two days' fog, the abnormal condition of parts of Holborn and New Oxford Street, between Gray's Inn and the Tottenham Court Road, nearly led to the suspension of traffic. We acknowledge that the Borough Engineer of Holborn, Mr. E. F. Spurrell, came to the rescue in admirable fashion, and that it was not long before the pressure-flooding of the surface, through pipe and hydrant from the mains, had increased the co-efficient of friction to the point at which propulsion again came within control limits. The following morning, the lengths in question were cleaner than we have ever known them, andtheir condition forcibly brought to mind the wisdom of a more frequent washing down of these heavily-trafficked thoroughfares. Westminster City Council, many years ago, gave the lead to Metropolitan boroughs in respect of the use of the hose for street-cleansing purposes, and our best-scavenged provincial cities follow the same practice, All extension in 1 A.-ificlon is urgently needed, although we do not suggest that hosing can take the place of all mechanical contrivances and manual labour which is directed towards the removal of detritus and other filth. It is not the motors which give rise to these unsafe conditions, but the horses, and it is an anachronism that the modern vehicle should, so often, be blamed for following an erratic course for the genesis of which our public authorities are largely responsible. We believe the day is not far distant when it will be realised that the element of danger is in no wise chargeable against the motor vehicle per se, or against motor drivers as a class.

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Organisations: Westminster City Council
People: E. F. Spurrell
Locations: London

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