Road and Rail Transport Co-ordination

In previous letters appearing in these pages the need for railways to embark upon a bold road transport policy has been discussed. Rail and road transport are complementary one to the other, and there is no agency better equipped to carry on the business of road transport than the railway. Through failure to tackle the road competition question promptly and in bold fashion much valuable ground has been lost in Britain, but during the past few weeks the Home railways have sprung into the arena, and new road services, operated by the group lines, are now being introduced in all directions.

Apart from putting on the road a large number of passenger-carrying vehicles of their own, the Home railways have recently acquired important interests in municipal and privately-owned motor omnibus services, which should prove of especial value. One of the most ambitious of these combinations is that effected between the London and North Eastern, and London, Midland and Scottish lines, and the Municipality of Sheffield. Under this fusion, provision is made for the joint operation of road transport services over a very extensive stretch of territory surrounding the great steel centre. The arrangement does not cover short distance travel within the boundaries of the city of Sheffield, but provides for a railway interest in all routes outside the city boundary. In the case of routes extending over short distances beyond the boundary, the motor omnibus services continue to be operated by the municipal authorities, but are controlled by a joint committee of municipal and railway officers, and the vehicles used bear the names of all three parties. The services are being arranged in such a way as to give the same co-ordination between the railway system and the road services, as would omnibus services operated by the railways on the same routes, independently of the municipality. On the longer runs, which comprise the road services between Sheffield and the towns of Bakewell, Barnsley, Buxton, Doncaster and Huddersfield, the railways alone will be concerned in the provision of passenger transport. The agreement is for ten years, and will thereafter be terminable by twelve months' notice on either side.

Further west, the L.M. and S. Railway has taken over from the Rochdale municipality the omnibus service between Rochdale and Halifax, a distance of eighteen miles, and is making twelve trips daily in each direction, between the two points. In Wales, the Great Western line has recently acquired a 50 per cent. interest in a large road carrying concern operating motor omnibus services in and around Cardiff, Bridgend page 19 and Monmouthshire. Here, again, the railways will not compete with the municipality within the city boundaries. Across the Channel, similar activities are being recorded on the parts of the Swiss, German, and French railways. By degrees all the European railways are becoming increasingly interested in road transport, and much desired coordinated movement by rail and road, of both passengers and merchandise, will thereby be accomplished.