Transport Act 2000

70 General duty. U.K.

(1) The CAA must exercise its air navigation functions so as to maintain a high standard of safety in the provision of air traffic services; and that duty is to have priority over the application of subsections (2) and (3).

(2) The CAA must exercise its air navigation functions in the manner it thinks best calculated—

(a) to secure the most efficient use of airspace consistent with the safe operation of aircraft and the expeditious flow of air traffic;

(b) to satisfy the requirements of operators and owners of all classes of aircraft;

(c) to take account of the interests of any person (other than an operator or owner of an aircraft) in relation to the use of any particular airspace or the use of airspace generally;

[F1 (ca) to take account of any guidance relating to spaceflight activities (within the meaning of the Space Industry Act 2018) given to the CAA by the Secretary of State;]

(d) to take account of any guidance on environmental objectives given to the CAA by the Secretary of State after the coming into force of this section;

(e) to facilitate the integrated operation of air traffic services provided by or on behalf of the armed forces of the Crown and other air traffic services;

(f) to take account of the interests of national security;

(g) to take account of any international obligations of the United Kingdom notified to the CAA by the Secretary of State (whatever the time or purpose of the notification).

(3) If in a particular case there is a conflict in the application of the provisions of subsection (2), in relation to that case the CAA must apply them in the manner it thinks is reasonable having regard to them as a whole.

(4) The CAA must exercise its air navigation functions so as to impose on providers of air traffic services the minimum restrictions which are consistent with the exercise of those functions.

(5) Section 4 of the M1 Civil Aviation Act 1982 (CAA’s general objectives) does not apply in relation to the performance by the CAA of its air navigation functions.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 70(2)(ca) inserted (29.7.2021) by Space Industry Act 2018 (c. 5), s. 70(1), Sch. 12 para. 19; S.I. 2021/817, reg. 2, Sch. para. 117 (with reg. 3)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 70 wholly in force at 1.2.2001, see s. 275(1)(2) and S.I. 2001/57, art. 3(1), Sch. 2 Pt. I (subject to the transitional provision and saving in Sch. 2 Pt. II)

Marginal Citations

M1 1982 c. 16.