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105. The Highways Committee have had under consideration
the subject of the sufficiency of the Fund estabWoodpaving,
. ,
& Short Loans) lished in 1904 to meet expenditure for woodpaving
Fund- . ,
and other short-lived works. Since its
ment the produce of a rate of 1½d. in the £ has been set apart
each year for the purposes of the Fund. This provision, however,
has been found to be inadequate in view of the new works
required to be executed and the necessity for making provision
for renewing the existing woodpaving as it wears out. The
Committee accordingly suggested that the Fund should be augmented
by carrying to its credit annually the produce of a rate
of l½d. in lieu of l½d. in the The Finance Committee concurred
in this suggestion, which was adopted by the Council in
December last. The London County Council does not now grant
loans for repaving existing woodpaved roads, and as the area of
the roads so paved is rapidly increasing in this Borough it is
advisable that the Fund should be a substantial one in order to
meet the large expenditure for works of this description which it
may be necessary to carry out during the next few years. By
defraying the cost of these paving works out of the Fund a considerable
saving of interest is effected, as compared with the
former practice.
106. The proposed widening of Lower Richmond Road,
Lower Rich- Putney, is still in abeyance, owing to difficulties
mond Road which have arisen with regard to the acquisition of
Widening and certain property required for the improvement.
Wood Paving The subject of the desirability of wood paving the
carriageway of the road has continued to receive the attention of
the Council. As mentioned in last year's report the Borough
Council, before definitely settling the question of paving, communicated
with the London County Council with the view of ascertaining
whether that Council proposed to formulate a scheme for
the provision of tramways along the road. The County Council
stated in reply that there was no such proposal before it at the
time. The alterations to the approach to Putney Bridge, required'
for the construction of the authorised tramways from Hammersmith
to Putney, have been completed, and the part of Lower
Richmond Road affected has been repaved with wood. The Wood
Paving, &c. (Short Loans) Fund having been augmented as mentioned
in the preceding paragraph of this report, the Borough
Council has been able to make arrangements for continuing this