Central Control of Mam Roads. 
21 
In England and Wales about 27,380 miles of main roads 
through rural and urban districts (excluding county boroughs) 
are dealt with by 1,055 Councils, in addition to the County 
Councils, and the result, comparatively speaking, is ineptitude, 
waste, and discontent. With such a division of authority any 
approach to uniformity in procedure or results is hopeless. 
For some purposes small areas of control and assessment 
are desirable to check extravagance, but they are not suitable or 
economical in connection with roads, and especially with main 
roads. The smaller road authorities now so common cannot 
provide for the services of highly skilled officers necessary 
for real economy, or arrange for, the use of steam rollers and 
other modern appliances ; and they are naturally prone to use 
local materials instead of more costly materials which, though 
brought from a distance, are often more truly economical. 
Not infrequently a road with heavy traffic traverses a poor 
area which contributes little of the traffic and derives no clear 
benefit therefrom. Under these conditions, or on account of 
other adverse circumstances, such as a scarcity of good materials 
for roadmaking, or a heavy subsoil, it is hopeless to expect the 
authorities in small areas to reach any high standard of road 
maintenance. As raising money for the maintenance of roads 
by tolls on the traffic, which at first glance appears to be the 
fairest method of assessment, has been abandoned, an equali- 
sation of rating for at least the main highways should be 
arranged for. 
Skill and experience are not lacking for the improvement 
and maintenance of our roads, but even with so large an area 
as a county, and with the aid of very competent county 
surveyors, it is difficult and indeed almost impossible under 
existing conditions as to assessment for the necessary expen- 
diture, to meet the demand for improved roads from those 
interested in traction engine and motor car traffic, and those, 
far the greater number, who use the highways otherwise, 
and suffer from the nuisance of dust raised by the swift 
self-propelled vehicles now employed. 
Royal Commissions and Parliamentary Inquiries. 
In 1833, a Committee of the House of Lords recommended 
“ a system of general control over the management of the roads 
in the kingdom to introduce one general economical and skilful 
course of management,” and they formulated a scheme for 
central control of the turnpike roads alone, to cost 97,0002. a 
year, which however was not carried into effect. 1 At that time 
1 This scheme proposed the appointment of two General Surveyors with a 
salary of 2,500Z. each, and twelve deputy Surveyors with salaries of from 800Z. 
to 1,OOOZ. The value of skilled services in connection with roads appears to have 
been more fully recognised by this Committee than it is now. 
