Forth Crossing Act 2011

15 Stopping up of means of access

(1) Ministers may, when carrying out the Forth Crossing works, stop up each means of access to land identified in schedule 8.

(2) A means of access identified in Part 2 of schedule 8 must not be stopped up unless—

(a) the substitute for the means of access identified in column (5) of Part 2 of schedule 8 has been completed and is available for use, or

(b) a temporary alternative means of access is provided and is available for use.

(3) Ministers must, before stopping up a means of access, take such steps as they consider reasonable to bring the closure date, and any alternative means of access, to the attention of the owner and occupier of the land.

(4) Where subsection (2)(a) applies, Ministers must give the owner of the land containing the stopped up means of access notice when the substitute means of access is complete (a “completion notice”).

(5) An owner may, within 28 days of a completion notice being given, object to Ministers on the ground that the substitute means of access is not completed.

(6) On receipt of an objection, Ministers may—

(a) withdraw a completion notice and carry out further works on the substitute means of access, or

(b) refer the dispute to the Lands Tribunal for determination (and notify the objector that it has been so referred).

(7) Ministers must carry out reasonable maintenance of a substitute means of access for the 12 months after—

(a) the date of the original or any re-issued completion notice, or

(b) in the case of a dispute referred to the Lands Tribunal, the earlier of—

(i) the date of final Lands Tribunal decision, or

(ii) the date of final settlement of the matter.