Turnpikes

One reason that James Palmer's mail coaches could improve on the previous times was that roads were slowly improving through private investment in Turnpike roads.  The investment was recovered by charging to use the roads, though Mail coaches were free, sounding their horn to get the gates opened so that they were not stopped.  The item below is a turnpike ticket for the Wells turnpike, from 1790.

The item below is a ticket for the Black Dog turnpike from the 1860s.