At the moment there are some-illing like 2,650,000 motor vehicles, including 1,800,000 private cars and 460,000 motor bicycles, in service. This season alone 334000 new 85,000 commercial vehicles, and 9,200 while poor and varied methods of road-surfacing lead to important arteries booming transformed - for weeks at a time into single traffic runs, More uniformity in road repair work, and, it is said, the use of the best durable and non-skid materials, even when these have to be drought a distance, would greatly prolong the life of the busiest roads, and so increase their capacity.
The Ministry of Transport this year became the authority for 4500 miles of trunk roads. At present a great survey is being made to draft a programme of improvements, such as bringing into being a standard width, dual carriageways, in some cases cycle tracks, and better designed junctions, The Minister is not waiting for the survey to be completed, and a good deal of work is now in hand, in which all road amenities, including circuses and lighting, are being improved.
But the critics remain, and insist that to carry the potential load of the next few years general road work in this country must be expedited. It is significant that all forms of transport report greater demands being made upon them. The main line- rally In winning the 25th annual Indianapolis speedway classic at a record-breaking average speed of 113.580 m.p. Wilbur Shaw again proved the supremacy of the 4- cylinder engine, according to Mr. David R, Wilson, President of Willys Overland Motors, Inc., manufacturers of Willys cars, which are powered with the, same type engine.
Shaw's victory was the fourth consecutive annual win for 4- cylinder type racers on the Indianapolis Speedway. Shaw refuelled his racer only twice during the 500-mile race.
As in last year's race, seven of the first ten cars to get the checkered flag were powered with 4-cylinder motors, the type used in the 1937 Willys cars, There were three multi cylinder cars among the first ten across the finishing line. One finished third, another fourth and the other tenth.
Commenting on the excellent performance.of the four-cylinder cars in the Indianapolis races, Mr. Wilson declared that Shaw's record proved beyond doubt that both speed and economy of fuel consumption can be obtained with the 4-cylinder engine.
The 1957 Willys is giving, as a national average, up to 35 miles to the gallon of gasoline, according to reports from Willys owners, with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.