London Government Act 1963

9 General duty of Greater London Council with respect to road traffic and abolition of London Traffic Area and Traffic Advisory Committee

(1) The provisions of this Part of this Act shall have effect for the purpose of redistributing functions with respect to road traffic in Greater London and assimilating the law with respect to highways in Greater London to that in force in the rest of England and Wales.

(2) It shall be the duty of the Greater London Council so to exercise the functions conferred on them by or by virtue of sections 10 to 19 of this Act as, so far as practicable having due regard to—

(a) the desirability of securing and maintaining reasonable access to premises;

(b) the effect on the amenities of any locality affected; and

(c) any other matters appearing to the Council to be relevant,

to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic (including foot passengers) and the provision of suitable and adequate parking facilities on and off the highway ; and the Minister of Transport shall not—

(i) give any direction to the Council under section 10(7)(a) or (b), 11(7) or 13(2)(a) of this Act; or

(ii) exercise his power under section 10(2)(b), 11(2)(a)or 13 (2)(c) of this Act to revoke or vary any order made by the Council,

unless he is satisfied, having regard to any matters appearing to him to be relevant, that the Council's duty aforesaid is not being satisfactorily discharged by the Council and that it is necessary for him so to do in order to secure compliance with that duty.

(3) The Greater London Council shall before 1st April 1965 consult with the Minister of Transport with regard to the administrative arrangements to be made by the Council for the discharge of the Council's functions by virtue of sections 10 to 15 of this Act.

(4) Any person appointed by the Greater London Council to hold a local inquiry for the purposes of any of the Council's functions by virtue of sections 10 to 15 of this Act shall have the like powers as a person appointed to hold an inquiry to which section 290 of the Local Government Act 1933 applies.

(5) Without prejudice to any power of delegation conferred by or by virtue of the provisions of sections 10 to 20 of this Act, section 5 (1) of this Act shall not apply to any function conferred on the Greater London Council by or by virtue of those provisions.

(6) The London Traffic Area and the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee shall cease to exist; and any reference in the Road Traffic Act 1960, the Road Traffic and Roads Improvement Act 1960 or the Road Traffic Act 1962—

(a) to the London Traffic Area ; or

(b) except in sections 85 (1) and (8), 135 and 141 of the Road Traffic Act 1960, to an area comprising the metropolitan police district and the City of London,

shall be construed as a reference to Greater London.