ABSTRACT
It is interesting to note that all the towns attained their highest rate of growth in the period before the introduction of rail transport into the region. Subsequently, the railways came to monopolise long distance carriage to the various towns, but at the same time the provision of short distance road ‘feeder’ traffic became increasingly important for the urban and railway authorities. The presence of urban pressure groups upon Trust bodies encouraged other Trustees drawn from the various smaller towns and villages along the road to combine forces in opposing any attempt to modify Trust policy with regard to suburban roads. The Cockermouth–Penrith Trustees were not so concerned about suburban encroachment, as the towns along this line of road were smaller and growing at a slower pace. Instead, difficulties arose as to whether or not certain branch roads could be reasonably regarded as constituting part of the Trust for purposes of either toll collection or road maintenance.
