Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967

104 General interpretation provisions.

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say—

• subject to section 108 of this Act, " the appropriate Minister " means, in relation to England or Wales, the Minister of Transport and, in relation to Scotland, the Secretary of State;

• " bridge authority " means the authority or person responsible for the maintenance of a bridge;

• " bridleway " means a way over which the public have the following, but no other, rights of way, that is to say, a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals of any description along the way;

• " designation order " means an order under section 35 of this Act;

• except for the purposes of section 42, " driver ", where a separate person acts as steersman of a motor vehicle, includes that person as well as any other person engaged in the driving of the vehicle, and " drive " shall be construed accordingly ;

• " footpath " means a way over which the public have a right of way on foot only ;

• " highway authority ", for the purposes of the application of this Act to England or Wales, means, in relation to a road other than a trunk road, the authority (being either the council of a county, the council of a county borough, the council of a non-county borough or an urban district, the Common Council of the City of London, the council of a London borough or the Greater London Council) which is responsible for the maintenance of the road, and, in relation to a trunk road, the Minister or the Secretary of State, as the case may be, and for the purposes of the application of this Act to Scotland means, in relation to a road other than a trunk road, a county council or the town council of a burgh charged with the maintenance and management of any of the highways therein, and, in relation to a trunk road, the Secretary of State ;

• " magistrates' court " and " petty sessions area " have the same meanings as in the [1952 c. 55.] Magistrates' Courts Act 1952;

• " metropolitan road " means a road for the time being designated by or under section 17 of the [1963 c. 33.] London Government Act 1963 as a metropolitan road;

• " the Minister " means the Minister of Transport;

• " owner ", in relation to a vehicle which is the subject of a hiring agreement or hire-purchase agreement, means the person in possession of the vehicle under that agreement;

• " road " means any highway and any other road to which the public has access, and includes bridges over which a road passes;

• " salvage " means the preservation of a vessel which is wrecked, stranded or in distress, or the lives of persons belonging to, or the cargo or apparel of, such a vessel;

• " special road " means a road provided or to be provided in pursuance of a scheme under section 1 of the [1949 c. 32.] Special Roads Act 1949, or section 11 of the [1959 c. 25.] Highways Act 1959, or to which, by virtue of section 19 of the last-mentioned Act, that Act applies as if it were a road provided in pursuance of a scheme under section 11 thereof, and includes any part of a special road;

• " statutory ", in relation to any prohibition, restriction, requirement or provision, means contained in, or having effect under, any enactment (including any enactment contained in this Act);

• " street parking place " and " off-street parking place " refer respectively to parking places on land which does, and on land which does not, form part of a road ;

• " traffic sign " has the meaning assigned to it by section 54(1) of this Act;

• " tramcar " includes any carriage used on any road by virtue of an order made under the [1896 c. 48.] Light Railways Act 1896 ;

• " trolley vehicle " means a mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for use upon roads without rails and moved by power transmitted thereto from some external source;

and the expressions " public service vehicle ", " stage carriage ", and " express carriage " shall be construed in accordance with sections 117 and 118 of the [1960 c. 16.] Road Traffic Act 1960.

(2) References in this Act to a class of vehicles or traffic (except the references in section 13) shall be construed as references to a class defined by reference to any characteristics of the vehicles or traffic or to any other circumstances whatsoever.

(3) References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed, except where the context otherwise requires, as references to that enactment as amended by or under any subsequent enactment.