Chapter II: The theoretical basis

The essence of the problem

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In exactly the same way that the rural and inter-town road system which we inherited from the pre-motor era has proved to be unsatisfactory for motor traffic, so also has the internal road system of towns. In the first place the layout of the streets has not been suitable for the movement of motor vehicles (Figure 50). To develop its characteristics a motor vehicle requires a reasonably clear, uninterrupted run, but in the close criss-cross layout of our urban streets there are intersections at very frequent intervals and each one of these is a potential obstruction to the flow. These are the scenes of the notorious ‘right hand turns’ which cause so much delay. Then many of the streets are too narrow for the number of vehicles which seek to use them. The vehicles have increased in number, it should be noted, partly on account of the sheer growth of the motor vehicle habit, and partly because we have permitted the increase in the size and amount of accommodation in buildings without realising that this would bring more traffic onto the existing streets. If the close connection between buildings and the motor traffic that they generate had been understood this might not have happened.

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Another great difficulty of the inherited road system of towns arises from the unfortunate fact that access to the great majority of buildings is gained direct form the street onto which they front: the flow traffic is obstructed every time a vehicle pulls up to deliver callers or goods. A further difficulty, only too well known, is the shortage of places where vehicles can be parked. The streets themselves provide only a very limited (and then seldom really satisfactory) supply of parking spaces, and few buildings in the inner, older parts of towns have internal space for parking

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The result of growing numbers of vehicles endeavouring to force their way through this narrow, intricate street system has been increasing congestion and inefficiency. Even so it might be thought that up to a point the system, in all the circumstances, has not served too badly, and even now in conditions of light traffic, it functions reasonably well. But with the increase of traffic in recent years its drawbacks for motor traffic are manifesting themselves only too clearly. Everywhere there are complaints of congestion, delays and difficulties of parking and loading and unloading goods.