TRANSPORT QUESTIONS 157 



their tendency, under an efficient system of operation, is 

 to expand the traffic to such an extent that a motor service 

 may become no longer adequate in the course of a few years, 

 and the need will then have been created for still further 

 facilities which a light railway would be best adapted 

 to supply. 



These conditions are well brought out by the Light Railway 

 Commissioners in their fifth annual report to the Board of 

 Trade on their proceedings to December 31st, 1911, wherein 

 they make the following references to motor traction, 

 light railways and co-operation in agriculture : — 



With regard to the great development in recent years of motor 

 traction upon public roads, it is of interest to note that, in our 

 experience, confirmed by the two cases of proposed light railways 

 which we have most recently had under consideration, the 

 establishment of a service of motors (in each case combined with 

 the organised co-operation of the agricultural and other local 

 industries) has tended to stimulate the desire, and to emphasise 

 the need, for better railway facilities, rather than (as it is some- 

 times supposed would be the case) to supersede them, or to take 

 their place. In these cases evidence was brought to show the 

 considerable extent of saving to the road authorities in the 

 annual cost of maintenance which would follow from a trans- 

 ference to a railway of the traffic otherwise carried on the public 

 roads ; this point was also in accord with our previous experience 

 as bearing on the economy of transport by railway. 



In making these observations, we appreciate that in districts 

 where it is not practicable to construct a railway, and where the 

 traffic is not sufficient to support one, a motor service (especially 

 when combined with some " co-operative " system) may be of 

 much use, and in many cases would develop the traffic to a point 

 at which railway facilities would become requisite and feasible for 

 the further progress of the district. 



One especially significant example of the tendencies in 

 question is afforded by the aforesaid Yorkshire village 

 of Brandsby, where the success of the motor service con- 

 necting with the North Eastern Railway system has led to 

 an application being made to the Light Railway Commis- 

 sioners for an order sanctioning the construction of a light 

 railway. An enquiry into the matter was held by the Light 

 Railway Commissioners at York on February 20th, 1912. 



It was shown at this enquiry that the motor wagon service 



