Motorway man Billy Parker set a cracking pace yesterday (Tuesday 28th May 1953) - 110 yards an hour! With wheelbarrow and hoe he has just a week to travel the two and a half mile stretch of dual carriage way.For along the way 50 year old Billy has to mow 16 acres of grass verge and clear out 26,400 holes in the road.
Billy of Lower Braniel road, Belfast, is Ulster's first motorway man. His beat is the new Sydenham by-pass on the outskirts of Belfast.
As cars flash past him at 70 miles an hour, Billy plods painstakingly on. He covers 880 yards in his working day. "And thats racing", he said yesterday.
He keeps the grass verges neat and tidy. And he clears out the drainage holes which are spaced out every yard.
When he reaches the end of his section of road he turns back and starts again.
"Its rather like the never ending painting job on Blackpool Tower" said Billy. "And believe me, it can be just as dangerous. I have to keep bright and alert or else I would be knocked down."
