LONDON AND ITS BRIDGES.
Page 66
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THE Royal Commission, with Lord Lee of Fareham as its chairman, appointed in July last to consider the requirements of London in cross-river traffic facilities and the many proposals that have been put forward has, with commendable speed, issued its report, and, whilst we do not propose to go into it ia detail in these columns, we feel sure that the recommendations of the Commission will be read with interest by all who are concerned with the speedy movement of traffic in London, which is very largely a bottle-neck for the whole of the smith-east portion of the country, and which, therefore, constitutes a most important factor in the increase or reduction of traffic congestion for ibis most important section.
The programme outlined by the c42
Commission would involve a net expenditure of about £25,000,000 sterling, provisim beirig made to meet emergencies to the extent of a further £2,500,000. The maximum annual charge for a 60-year loan should not exceed £1,400,000, of which about 75 per cent, would fall upon the Road Fund and the balance on local authorities in the London traffic area.
It is proposed to erect five new ....ridges, to urge the abandonment of the scheme for building a bridge at St. Paul's, to retain Waterloo Bridge in a widened form and to carry north-tosouth traffic at important points in the City and West End of London ever thi• east-to-west traffic. It is also proposed that there shall be a central authorite to deg with the whole problem of
bridges and 'cross-river traffic facilities within the London traffic area, this authority being provided with adequate financial resources.
On first consideration--because, of course, the report of the Commission will call for very close and detailed study—the proposals seem to be excellent, as, whilst they deal with the actual problems in a satisfactory way, they avoid the objections which have been raised to many individual proposals concerning, in particular, Charing Cross, Waterloo and St. Paul's bridges.
It is to be hoped that the proposals, if they meet with general approval, will be carried out as quickly as possible, as the additional facilities offered will certainly relieve traffic congestion.