§ 36. Mr. EDEasked the Minister of Transport how many lengths of road surfacing for experimental purposes he has sanctioned which are at present laid down; what proportion of the cost is borne by the Ministry; and what steps are taken to control the experiments by his Department and to make the results generally known to highway authorities and other interested parties?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONCertain experimental forms of road construction have been executed in connection with London arterial roads, of which particulars have appeared in recent reports on the administration of the Road Fund. Since the appointment of a Technical Advisory Committee on experimental 2016 work in 1929 about half a mile of various forms of concrete have been laid on the road attached to the Department's Experimental Station at Harmondsworth, wholly at the cost of the Road Fund. One and three-eighths miles of bituminous surfacing have been laid on the Kingston by-pass in co-operation with associations of manufacturers of road-making materials, half of the cost being borne by the Road Fund. In addition other experimental work is being carried out in conjunction with highway authorities of which any cost in excess of the normal falls on the Road Fund. The work in every case is supervised by the technical officers of my Department. Results are published from time to time in the technical Press and the first report by the Technical Advisory Committee to which I have referred will be published shortly.
§ Mr. HURDIs any progress being made with the tests in the use of rubber for roads—rubber after undergoing certain treatment—in order to lessen the vibration?
§ Mr. MORRISONRubber is being tested in the City of London, but a sufficient time has not yet elapsed to enable the City engineer definitely to advise me of the results.