HC Deb 05 June 1935 vol 302 cc1849-51
24. Mr. PARKINSON

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is making any arrangements for the taking of a census of road traffic in the present year?

The MINISTER of TRANSPORT(Mr. Hore-Belisha)

In order that programmes of the illicit local distillation of spirits. This matter is receiving earnest attention.

Following are the figures:

of road works in Great Britain may meet the necessities of a greatly expanding traffic, particularly at those points where the use of the roads is found to be heaviest, I am arranging, in collaboration with highway authorities, for a census on more comprehensive lines than any previous census to be taken in August on all Class I roads throughout Great Britain, and for the first time I intend to take a pedestrian poll at selected points where there are no footpaths or where the footpath is three feet wide or less, the object being to find out where adequate footpaths are most urgently needed and to provide highway authorities with trustworthy data on which to work. With the exception of steam rollers, every type of road vehicle will be included in the census, and records will be kept of the daily average number and tonnage of vehicles and also of the road surfacing material in use at these points. These arrangements should enable highway authorities to prepare their improvement schemes for Class I roads on a scientific basis. At least 10,000 enumerators will be engaged for this task.