Transport Act 1962

Preliminary

1 The four Boards

(1) For the purposes of this Act there shall be four public authorities to be called—

• the British Railways Board (in this Act referred to as the " Railways Board ");

• the London Transport Board (in this Act referred to as the "London Board");

• the British Transport Docks Board (in this Act referred to as the " Docks Board "); and

• the British Waterways Board,

among whom the functions and (subject to the provisions of this Act relating to the Holding Company) the property of the British Transport Commission (hereinafter referred to as " the Commission ") shall be divided in accordance with this Act.

(2) The chairman of each Board shall be appointed by the Minister, and the other members of each Board (including any vice chairman) shall be appointed by the Minister after consultation with the chairman of that Board.

(3) The British Railways Board shall consist of a chairman, a vice chairman, or two vice chairmen, and not more than sixteen nor less than ten other members; the chairmen and other members of the Board shall be appointed from among persons who appear to the Minister to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, transport, industrial, commercial or financial matters, administration, applied science, or the organisation of workers, and the Minister in appointing them shall have regard to the desirability of having members who are familiar with the special requirements and circumstances of particular regions and areas served by the Board.

(4) The London Transport Board shall consist of a chairman, a vice chairman and not more than nine nor less than four other members; the chairmen and other members of the Board shall be appointed from among persons who appear to the Minister to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, urban transport, industrial, commercial or financial matters, administration, applied science, or the organisation of workers.

(5) The British Transport Docks Board shall consist of a chairman, a vice chairman and not more than nine nor less than four other members; the chairmen and other members of the Board shall be appointed from among persons who appear to the Minister to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, the operation, management or administration of docks, or transport, industrial, commercial or financial matters, administration, applied science, or the organisation of workers, and the Minister in appointing them shall have regard to the desirability of having members who are familiar with the special requirements and circumstances of particular regions and areas served by the Board.

(6) The British Waterways Board shall consist of a chairman, a vice chairman and not more than nine nor less than four other members; the chairmen and other members of the Board shall be appointed from among persons who appear to the Minister to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, the operation, management or administration of inland navigations or related matters or who appear to him to have special knowledge relating to some important aspect of the Board's work or to have had wide experience of, and to have shown capacity in, transport, industrial, commercial or financial matters, administration, applied science or the organisation of workers, and the Minister in appointing them shall have regard to the desirability of having members who are familiar with the special requirements and circumstances of particular regions and areas served by the Board.

(7) Part I of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect as regards the constitution and proceedings of the Boards, and as regards their members.

2 The Regional Railway Boards

(1) The Railways Board shall set up Boards (hereafter in this Act referred to as " Regional Railway Boards ") which shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section, share between them responsibility for all parts of the national railway system.

(2) In the first instance there shall be six Regional Railway Boards to be known as—

• the Eastern Railway Board,

• the London Midland Railway Board,

• the North Eastern Railway Board,

• the Scottish Railway Board,

• the Southern Railway Board,

• the Western Railway Board,

but the Minister may, after consulting the Railways Board, by order alter the number of Regional Railway Boards or give them names or new names.

An order made under this subsection may vary a previous order so made and shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(3) Part II of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect as regards the constitution and proceedings of Regional Railway Boards, and as regards their members.

(4) Each Regional Railway Board shall, on behalf of the Railways Board, exercise such functions of the Railways Board as respects the part of the national railway system for the management of which that Regional Railway Board is to be responsible as are for the time being delegated to them by the Railways Board ; and the Railways Board shall, in determining what functions are to be so delegated by them, act on lines settled from time to time with the approval of the Minister.

(5) The Railways Board shall from time to time determine the parts of the national railway system for the management of which the Regional Railway Boards are to be responsible.

The Railways Board shall publish in the London and Edinburgh Gazettes notice of any determination made by them under this subsection, stating the places at which copies of the maps, plans and other documents which implement the determination may be inspected by the public, and shall at all times afford reasonable facilities in appropriate places for inspection by the public of such maps, plans and other documents authenticated by a certificate in writing by the Railways Board.