Page 17 - the story of motoring
P. 17
Popular Motoring 1920's
A wide range of services were now available to the motorist. Petrol stations were
now commonplace. Spare parts and garages repairs were no longer difficult to find.
By the 1930s roads.were better made and tarmaced. By-passes of towns were built
but country roads were still very narrow and meandering. In towns, roads were well
lit at night. The first traffic lights were fitted in London in 1931 and the first
catseyes came in 1934. The roads were becoming a lot safer. The ridiculous speed
limit of 20mph had lasted since 1903 but few people took any notice of it. In 1935
a limit of 30mph was set for built up areas and still exists today. Country roads
were still empty but on Bank Holidays there were huge traffic jams on roads to and
from the coast.
The car bought by the 1930s motorist was worlds apart from the veteran car. The
familysaloan car was now made of pressed steel, had a roof, all round windows, four
wheel brakes and a far more efficient and reliable engine. There was electric
starting. lights, indicators and windscreen wipers.
The car in this period was now used as a working machine rather than as a pastime.
