ground as a freight and passenger system for many decades; this could be compared with countries such as the USA where road transport was allowed to gain a critical mass. The railways were eventually unified and nationalised as British Rail in 1948, while the predicted closure of branch lines was finally implemented under the 'Beeching Axe'. The road duties introduced in 1933-4 remain as a key part of vehicle duties today. The centralised funding of roads supported a more planned approach towards a new network of bypasses and high-speed routes through the Trunk Roads Act of 1936. References Motoring taxation in the United Kingdom Reports of the United Kingdom government Road transport in England 1932 in the United Kingdom Transport policy in the United Kingdom