Branching Out For A Belisha Beacon

Today's image was taken in my home village of Aylesford just before dusk. I must admit I was initially just drawn to the sparkly lights in the tree and didn't actually notice the Belisha beacon until I looked back at my shot later. It may only be a small part of the image but it has a fascinating history.
Leslie Hore-Belisha was an MP and cabinet minister who proved highly successful in modernising the British road system between 1934 and 1937 as Minister of Transport.
As part of the Road Traffic Act of 1934 he introduced a 30 mph speed limit for motor cars in built up areas, rewrote the Highway Code and was responsible for two innovations that led to a dramatic drop in the number of road accidents - the driving test and the amber-coloured globe lamps atop tall black and white poles which marked pedestrian crossings, later to be named after him as Belisha beacons by the general public. This was at a time when half the road casualties were pedestrians and three quarters of road accidents occurred in built up areas.
However, it wasn't all good - his biographer described him as a brilliant speaker with a warm and engaging personality but also as extremely self-centred, conceited and sometimes a practitioner of sharp practice! Bearing in mind his achievements I think would we should cut him some slack!
Strangely enough my brother actually passes a blue plaque dedicated to him, erected on a building in Victoria in London, on his way to work every day.

In other news I made my first batch of homemade mince pies today. They seemed to go down well with the family!