THE STATE OF THE ROADS.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I am glad to see that you are advocating the drastic improvement of our roads throughout the length and breadth of the country, which is so urgently needed in view of the flood of motor traffic which is upon us and which is increasing summer by summer.
I have recently had staying with me a clever and observant Canadian architect who has been motoring :throughout England and Scotland, and also in France and ItaiN, during the past year and a-half ; there is not a county he has not motored through. He told me that England possesses the finest roads he has ever seen, but they lack one essential— viz., that curves are not banked. In Italy he noticed that particular attention has been paid to this banking, as is also the case in America and Canada. He maintains that banking is a great safeguard against accidents, especially with high- speed traffic, and, of course, the sharper the curve the greater the banking required. It was a wonder to my friend that our road-makers and road-repairers have not, and do not, pay the slightest heed to this important matter.
Another matter to which I would much like to draw atten- tion is the absolute necessity for a pathway on the side of main roads where these are narrow and must necessarily remain narrow. There happens to be such a narrow section just outside the village I live in—a road infested by the terrible char-a-banes and other horrors. Many of us can testify to the danger pedestrians often incur here. I have proposed a remedy, but without result.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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