126 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES 
The reduced horse-power tax on private cars, which comes into force 
in 1935, will no doubt serve further to stimulate the use of such vehicles. 
There has been a similar continuous increase in the number of goods- 
carrying vehicles, despite the ups and downs in national prosperity. In 
spite of the trade depression after 1929 and the uncertainties caused by 
the publication of the Salter Report, the number of goods vehicles has 
continued to increase. The next table gives in each year the number of 
such vehicles in use in Great Britain as at November 30, the number 
licensed being greatest in this quarter of the year. 
1923 183,250 1929 325,700 
1924 212,300 1930 340,500 
1925 234,200 1931 352,500 
1926 259,000 1932 360,200 
1927 282,800 1933 379,600 
1928 301,500 
The last category of vehicle to which it is necessary to direct attention 
is that of Hackney Carriages, comprising taxi-cabs, motor-buses, and 
motor-coaches. In this class a noticeable feature has been the decline 
between 1930 and 1932. ‘This is to be explained by the operation of the 
Road Traffic Act, 1930, which imposed restrictions on the use of motor 
buses and coaches. ‘The number of hackney vehicles in use in each year 
in Great Britain as at August 31 is given in the next table. 
1921 82,800 1928 93,429 
1922 77,014 1929 =: 95,798 
1923 85,965 1930 98,865 
1924 94,153 1931 86,208 
1925 98,833 1932 84,667 
1926 99,077 1933 85,352 
1927 95,676 
According to statistics contained in the Reports of the Traffic Com- 
missioners the number of passengers carried in public service vehicles was 
5,2694 millions in 1931 and 5,4184 millions in 1933, or approximately 
more than six times the number of passenger journeys by rail including 
season ticket holders. The average receipt per passenger journey by 
road was, however, only 2-66d. in 1931, and 2:57d. in 1933. The total 
passenger receipts were £58-4 millions in 1931, and £57-9 millions in 
1933- 
Apart from such factors as the exhaustion of the railways after the war, 
and the industrial disputes of 1919 and 1926, the striking growth of road 
transport has been due to a variety of factors, such as its mobility, flexi- 
bility, and convenience ; a succession of technical improvements; the 
fall in the price of fuel and other costs (petrol cost 2s. 113d. in May 1921, 
but in 1934 it cost only 1s. 5d. despite the addition of a tax of 8d.a gallon) ; 
and its lower charges for certain traffics. 
The great convenience of motor transport has been a most important 
factor in the case of the private car. The advantages of having a vehicle 
which can be used when, where, and as the owner desires are obvious. 
