PEAK ON PEAK
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ffVERYONE is agreed, said Mr. R. A. Butler, Home Secretary, the other day, that'something ought to be done about traffic jams, but nobody seems to agree what we should do. He then went on to reveal the Government's plan for a Bill to deal with traffic wardens and other matters. In view of his somewhat tentative assessment of the problem, Mr. Butler might agree that the Bill could have unexpected and not necessarily desirable by-products, like so many other matters concerning transport.
The full effect of the Pink Zone scheme in central London is still to be analysed. One criticism is that any improvement there may be in traffic conditions within the zone is matched by increased congestion outside. The variations on this theme have become familiar. The motor: way leading to a big town merely helps to build up a traffic jam there a little more quickly than would otherwise be the case. An urban motorway encourages more cars, which then choke up the side streets. The centres of towns become deserts of concrete road, from which people flee to the outer suburbs, thus creating a further demand for transport.
Other unforeseen results may follow the attempt—and the Pink Zone scheme appears largely to be directed towards this end—to discourage the man who wishes to park his car all day in the West End. The driver who is convinced that it is better to leave his car at home becomes a commuter and uses public transport. If enough people follow his example, more buses and trains will have to be. provided in the peak periods. There may well be a decreasing demand for them at other times of the day, particularly if the wives find that the car is now at their disposal for their own visits to town.
There may thus be an accentuation of the trend noted by at least one speaker in the recent Institute of Transport symposium on the problem of the peak. Mr. P. A. White, line traffic manager, South Eastern Division, Southern Region, British Railways, said that in 20 years the number of passengers passing through the seven terminals of his region in London during the business periods had gone up by 23 per cent. and now accounted for about 600,000 journeys every day. The increase was even greater, actually 52 per cent., in the two busiest hours, one in the morning and the other in the evening. "Off-peak demands have actually declined," said Mr. White, and he added that the overall increase in daily traffic was only some 15 per cent. higher than before the war.
More Work
According to reports, both Mr. White and the contributor to the symposium on the road side, Mr. A. F. Neal, general manager, Manchester Transport Department, agreed that they liked peak traffic. Their enthusiasm was not overwhelming. "There seems little doubt," said Mr. Neal, echoing his companion speaker, that the problem is steadily changing, and apparently for the worse." If the Pink Zone scheme merely throws more work during the neak period on the already over-burdened public transport services, they may find it a handicap rather than a benefit.
Other devices that are supposed to relieve congestion may not work to the advantage of the passenger operator. At one time the London Transport Executive spent much effort and money in trying to persuade the employers in central London to stagger their working hours. Presumably, London Transport hoped to even out the demand for their services, but certainly not to reduce the demand. Now
-comes a cautionary story from Mr. W. M. Dravers, chairman, Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd. He has discovered a disturbing fact at a large trading estate where the starting and finishing hours are both spread over a period of two hours. At a new factory on the estate, many of the workpeople have their own means of transport. To avoid conforming with the-staggered starting and finishing rota generatly observed, they are urging their colleagues without cars or motorcycles to acquire them.
In keeping with the visionary school of thought rapidly gaining ground now that the traffic problem threatens to get completely out of hand, Mr. White spoke of the need for "a new design for living in London and not just a new transport policy." Something must be done, he said, about the unrestricted and growing determination to work at the centre of London and live on its fringes. The peak problem would certainly be solved_ if most people could be persuaded to live within strolling distance of their place of work.. Unfortunately, they might lose altogether the habit of using. public transport and turn to the private car even for their'. pleasure journeys.
Drastic Stew
Goods-vehicle operators have different problems from-. those of the providers of passenger transport. Their views on traffic control, which it is now the fashion to dignify with the scientific-sounding name of traffic engineering, have become firmer because of the Government's manifest intention to take early and possibly drastic steps. What were regarded as experiments a few years ago are now being applied generally and permanently.
If there must be restrictions, it is reasonable to plead that they should weigh as lightly as possibly upon public transport and the carriage of goods for trade and industry. It is equally important that no unnecessary impediments are created. Because the authorities, in the centres of some large towns, have banned loading and unloading at certain times of the day, the example is spreading to other smaller towns where far less drastic measures would cope with whatever congestion there is. Rightly, the associations representing vehicle operators are protesting as strongly as possible.
Restrictions on collection and delivery may be borne for limited periods, as they were during the Christmas rush. The problem becomes serious when they are made permanent. The shopkeepers who are chiefly affected, whether or not they have vehicles of their own, would gladly join forces with the hauliers in demanding positive action. Wherever possible, laybys should be provided for vehicles loading and unloading and also for bus stops.
Provided reasonable regard is paid to their special interests, commercial operators will agree with most of the steps that the Government are proposing to take to deal With urban congestion. There is no objection to traffic wardens, even if there were opposition to summary convictions or on-the-spot fines. More one-way streets would be popular, and there would be support for the restriction of right-hand turns at certain much used intersections.
All operators would like to see clearer but fewer markings. Lane discipline could be greatly improved, and would be very much helped if bold notice of the lanes were given well in advance. During the rush periods practically all the traffic is in one direction, so that it would be worth while to have lanes clearly marked and to change their direction according to the flow of traffic.