New surface for main road

Motorists have been enthusiastic in their welcome to the bituminous ‘carpet coat’ surface which Devon county Council have laide on the Bideford-Torrington main road.

Our photograph shows men at work with the Barber-Greene machine (right) and a steam roller laying the ‘carpet’. Use of the laying machine has meant a considerable saving in time and labour as it is possible to put down over 250 tons of material a day with only a small gang of men, while by hand those men would only lay between 30 and 40 tons during the same period. There will be no need for surface dressing for at least six years.

Gazette article 20 June 1952