MOTORWAYS ARE COMING

Shannon News, 5 October 1928, Page 4

MOTORWAYS ARE COMING

TRADE EXPANSION AND NEEDS,

The motor-vehicle, is barely 30 years old, and yet the world lias moved with startling rapidity in the matter of motor traction, as the following figures will show: The United {States has one motor-vehicle to every five persons: Canada and New Zealand one to every 10; Australia one to every 14; England oue to every 37; France one to every 40; Germany one to every 148; and Italy one to every 254. In the United States it is impossible to believe that the development of motor transport can go much further, says the "Illustrated London News.” Already the census of manufactures indicates that the car industry stands first, with an annual output valued at £074,000,000, as compared, say. with oil and steel of £580,000,000 each. During the past five years the number of cars in the States lias increased from 10 to 20 millions, and lorries from one and a-quarter millions to two and threequarter millions. So much for the vehicle. But what of the road? In such matters one riiust not think merely in terms of to-day’s needs, but wdiat will be wanted and what transport will be like 10 to 20 years lienee. Roadways will be widened, awkward corners at cross-roads, the sudden hill, and sharp curve will be abolished, and other improvements of these kinds which are the characteristic features of the motorway will have to be made to accommodate the increasing road traffic, within the next decade. Tests .made by leading firms in ringland show that it is cheaper to use the ordinary roads of the country than the railway up to distances of, 70 miles, and the advent of motorways will easily double this distance. . It will then be possible for goods loaded overnight in the great manufacturing centres of England to be delivered the next day in the docks of any of her ports.