t4 DECEMBEB 1967 Yot 127 No. 3748

Edltor O.puft Edltot A..l.tatra Edtst F.durra ldtto.

Sport Edhor

Atalar.nt T.Ghnloal Edttot

Edllorlrl

MAUhICE A. 8MITH,

PETER OANNIER LEONARO AYTOII STUABT ELAOOIII II{NE8 IREIAI{O OEOFFREY HOWAiO,

'FC

SSdEncl, ACGI, Gl*r.cE

JOHN DAVEY GRAHAM ROBSON, MAIOXoI,) MABTIN TEWIS MICHAET SCARLETT WABREN ALLPORT

Mldl.nd Edhor

Art Edltor Aarirt!nt Manohxt r Otnc.

EDWARD EVES

HOWARO vY8E JOHN HAWXINS

HAEOLD HOLT, AMIML AMAE|

Specirl Conlrlbuiot

RONALO BARI(ER ROGER HUNTINGTON, A&AE IOoToItI EOIN YOUNG (SpoN}

M.mglng Olr.ctot H. l{. PRIAUIJ(,fDf

MAIN FEATURES CAR DESIGT{-"WHV ON EARTH . . .?" MGB TO BYZANTIUM TEST: SUNBEAM STILETTO WOMEN'S ANGLE_4 RUNNING ASSESSMENT_BMW 2OOO AUTO TECHNICAT NOTEBOOK FROMWHATIGATHER... MAZDA 1600 DESCRIPTION

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REGU]AR ITEMS OISCONNECTED JO1TINGS NEW PRODUCTS THE SPORT STRAIGHT FROM THE GRID PICWEEK NEWS AND VIEWS TRADE AND !NDUSTRY CORRESPONDENCE NEW CAR PRICES

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Last pager before bad< cover

COVER; MGB at Motoora, Groecg

NEXT WEEK'S ISSUE FEATURES-P.46

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WHERE HAS ALL THE TRAFFIC GONE?

ll /t ONDAY of last week unwittingly gave an admirable lVl demonstration of the next phase in relieving

London's traffic problem. Because of trouble on the railways. emergency measures were brought in to cope with a vast anticipated increase in commuter traffic. The expected jams never materialized; evening papers had to pad out their front pages; the BBC radio-car touring the trouble spots flashed across London in a trice; everyone got home early. Why?

Three important changes took place on that Mondaythree palliatives which we have plugged time and time again. First, commuters staggered their hours. Second, the police took strict measures to enforce no-waiting clearways and controlled bottle-neck intersections on the main routes into London. Third. some drivers took on extra passengers.

Staggering hours does not cause such an inconvenience as many of the experts claim. Several of our staff arrived early, completed a lot of involved work before the'phones started ringing, in the peace and calm of a deserted office, and then sloped off home early (in time to catch the shops). They liked it.

For several years we have been campaigning for stricter control of loading and unloading in congested areas in the rush hour. Each day we find a single bread van can cause half-a-mile or more of double-lane queueing simply because it is parked on a yellow line (usually facing the wrong way) at the wrong time. Those firms that have tried off-peak deliveries have found it much more efficient.

By far the greater number of cars carry only the driver. ln a recent survey at holiday time the average per carwas only 1.6 people. As a last resort more economic use of cars and road space could be encouraged, not by introducing pokey. sluggish little town cars but by putting pressure on drivers to fill at least one empty seat as they commute into congested city centres.

Last Monday showed that there is still a considerable reserve of capacity for our city roads as they stand. What appears to be the threshold of stagnation on a wet Friday night could be postponed as much as ten years by sensible measures taken now.