75Signs for indicating speed restrictions.
(1)It shall be the duty of the competent authority—
(a)to erect and maintain the prescribed traffic signs in such positions as may be requisite in order to give effect to general or other directions given by the appropriate Minister for the purpose of securing that adequate guidance is given to drivers of motor vehicles as to whether any, and if so what, limit of speed is to be observed on any road ; and
(b)to alter or remove traffic signs as may be requisite in order to give effect to such directions as aforesaid, either in consequence of the making of an order by the appropriate Minister or otherwise;
and if the authority make default in executing any works required for the performance of the duty imposed upon them by this subsection, the appropriate Minister may himself execute them; and the expense incurred by him in so doing shall be recoverable by him from the authority and, in England or Wales, shall be so recoverable summarily as a civil debt.
(2)In its application to a trunk road, subsection (1) above shall have effect with the omission of the words " in order to give effect to general or other directions given by the appropriate Minister " in paragraph (a), and the words from the beginning of paragraph (b) to the end of the subsection.
(3)Where no system of street lighting furnished by means of lamps placed not more than two hundred yards apart is provided on a road but a limit of speed is to be observed on the road, a person shall not be convicted of driving a motor vehicle on the road at a speed exceeding the limit unless the limit is indicated by means of such traffic signs as are mentioned in subsection (1) above.
(4)In any proceedings for a contravention of section 71 of this Act, being proceedings relating to driving on a road provided with such a system of street lighting as is specified in subsection (3) above, evidence of the absence of traffic signs displayed in pursuance of this section to indicate that the road is not a restricted road for the purposes of the said section 71 shall be evidence that the road is a restricted road for those purposes.
(5)In this section " the competent authority " means—
(a)as respects a trunk road, the appropriate Minister;
(b)as respects a road, not being a trunk road, the local authority.
(6)The power to give general directions under subsection (1) above shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.