Where in pursuance of paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to this Act the appropriate authority stop up and discontinue the whole or any part of any highway the following provisions of this paragraph shall have effect in relation to so much of any F1electronic communications apparatus as is in the land which by reason of the stopping up ceases to be a highway or part thereof (in this paragraph referred to as “the affected apparatus”).

The rights of F3the operator of F5the electronic communications code network for the purposes of which the apparatus is used to remove the affected apparatus shall be exercisable notwithstanding the stopping up, but those rights shall not be exercisable as respects the whole or any part of the affected apparatus after the expiration of a period of 28 days from the date of the service of the notice referred to in sub-paragraph (6) below unless, before the expiration of that period, the operator has given notice to the appropriate authority of its intention to remove the affected apparatus, or that part of it, as the case may be.

The operator of F5the electronic communications code network for the purposes of which the apparatus is used may, by notice in that behalf to the appropriate authority, abandon the affected apparatus, or any part of it, and shall be deemed, as respects the affected apparatus, or any part of it, to have abandoned it at the expiration of the said period of 28 days unless, before the expiration of that period, the operator has removed it or served notice of intention to remove it.

The operator of F5the electronic communications code network for the purposes of which the apparatus is used shall be entitled to recover from the appropriate authority the expense of providing, in substitution for the affected apparatus and any apparatus connected with it which is rendered useless in consequence of the removal or abandonment of the affected apparatus, F1electronic communications apparatus in such other place as the operator may reasonably require.

Where under sub-paragraph (3) above the operator of F5the electronic communications code network for the purposes of which the apparatus is used has abandoned the whole or any part of the affected apparatus, it shall vest in the appropriate authority and shall be deemed with its abandonment to cease to be kept installed for the purposes of F2an electronic communications code network.

So soon as practicable after the whole or any part of a highway has been stopped up under paragraph 16 of Schedule 2 to this Act the appropriate authority shall serve notice of the stopping up on F4any operator of an electronic communications code network which has notified the appropriate authority of its interest in the highway.