MOTOR TRAFFIC. (Hansard, 7 June 1920)

§ 19. Sir R. CHADWICK
asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the fact that the rapid growth of motor traffic of all kinds is exercising a very prejudicial effect on the roads of the country, which were not constructed to deal with it; and whether he has called, or is calling, the attention of the various local authorities to the need for taking the problem into their immediate consideration?

§ Sir E. GEDDES
The matter referred to by my hon. Friend has for a long time been receiving close and anxious consideration, both on the part of the officers of the Ministry of Transport and of the highway authorities concerned. The financial proposals now before the House have been framed with a view to assisting the highway authorities to put all the more important roads in the country as rapidly as possible into a condition to bear the heavy increase of motor traffic.

§ 20. Sir R. CHADWICK
asked the Minister of Transport whether he is in a position to inform the House if the rapid growth of motor traffic is exercising any effect on the competitive services of the railway companies, either as to passenger or goods traffic?

§ Sir E. GEDDES
The railway companies are carrying a greater passenger and general goods traffic than ever before. Road motor services have attracted to road some traffic which might otherwise have travelled by rail; but they have undoubtedly also created new traffic. I see no reason to suppose that such competition is at present exercising any appreciable effect on the services of the railway companies, and in any case the needs of the country are likely to require all the facilities which the various agencies of transport can afford.

§ Viscount CURZON
May I ask, if the railway companies are carrying such vastly increased traffic, whether they cannot possibly do something towards lowering some of the fares?

§ Sir E. GEDDES
No, Sir, I am afraid they cannot. There is an increasing quantity of traffic offered, increasing number of passengers are travelling, and the wages are continually increasing also.