162 The Right Hon. Lord Montagu of BeaiiUeu [April 3, 



tradiction that cheaper and swifter locomotion is the best cure yet 

 known for congested areas, and that if the money spent in erecting 

 workmen's dwellings on expensive sites had been spent on widening 

 the main arteries of traffic, it would probably have been more wisely 

 spent and more calculated to bring about the objects which the 

 generous donors of money had in mind. To-day the problem is not 

 only one of cheaper locomotion, but of more adequate roadways. 

 Motor buses could convey milUons more every year much more 

 quickly and cheaply were the main streets wider and the congestion 

 of traffic therefore less. During the last year, 1905-6, for which we 

 have statistics, motor buses carried 184 million passengers as against 

 the 180 million carried by the vast network of the L.C.C. tramlines, 

 figures which in themselves show how great is the use made of the 

 new form of locomotion, which, be it remembered, has only been in 

 existence for a period of three years. These figures also demonstrate 

 how . necessary to the ebb and flow of the working population these 

 vehicles have become. 



In London the mechanical carriage already outnumbers the 

 horse-drawn in many streets. On the Embankment between 9.45 

 and 10.30 the preponderance of motor cars is very marked, as shown 

 by the following table, the -figures of which were quite recently 

 taken by a friend of mine : — 



Table of Traffic in London on the Thames Embankment, Showing 

 THE Number of Vehicles of each kind between 9.45 and 10.30. 



These figures were specially taken to demonstrate that at the 

 time of going to business the preponderance of motor cars is greater 

 than at other times. They also completely explode the idea that motor 

 vehicles are a luxury of the idle classes. It is the same in all busy 

 towns at the hour of going to business. 



Edinburgh. 

 Times taken on ten days at the same time of day : — 



Motor Cars Private Carriages 



69 31 



