HC Deb 07 April 1914 vol 60 c1800
53. Mr. FELL

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he is considering the question of the damage done to the macadamised country roads by the user of these roads by services of motor omnibuses; and if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the cost of repair and upkeep of these roads before and after such user?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

The circumstances vary so greatly in different cases that I do not think it would be possible to draw any useful conclusion from such an inquiry.

Mr. FELL

Could not a specimen road be taken and the cost of repair previously to the user by the motor omnibuses, and an estimate of the present cost of repair be made?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

In the first place it would be exceedingly difficult to distinguish between the amount of user of the road by omnibuses and other vehicles; and, in the second place, no generalisation could be drawn from a single instance, or even from half a dozen instances.