Later the
penalty of prison up to three years was added as an alternative.
The hundred was to pay the damages up to 20 pounds. The penalty
for threatening the toll collector or forcibly passing through was
5 pounds for the first offense, and 10 pounds for the second
offense with imprisonment for one year for those who couldn't pay.
By 1750, about 60 miles could be made in a day. The turnpike
trusts took over most of London's major highways during the 1700s.
There was no travel on Sundays until 1750.
In 1745, shocked by the difficulty caused by bad roads in
concentrating the royal army to stop the Scottish invasion, the
king began systematically to improve all the roads. There was much
road and highway widening and repair, and also river bank and pier
repair, going on all over the country. Marsh lands were drained.
Harbors were deepened. There were numerous statutes trying to
adjust the needs of travel with the condition of the roads. For
instance, there must be a pole between the wheel horses or double
shafts. Carriages, wagons, or carts drawn by more horses, oxen, or
animals or with wheels bound iron tires, or with very heavy loads
were observed to cause more damage, so they were restricted or had
to pay higher tolls. Then broad and smooth iron tires were
observed to not cause the amount of damage as did narrow or
irregular iron tires and their use was encouraged.
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