(1)Subject to subsection (3) below, where the highway authority for a highway consider that a private means of access from the highway to any premises is likely to cause danger to, or to interfere unreasonably with, traffic on the highway, they may be authorised by an order made in accordance with this section to stop up the means of access.
(2)An order under this section shall be made by the highway authority for the highway in question and, if they are[F1 a strategic highways company or ] a local highway authority, shall be confirmed either by the Minister or, where subsection (5) below allows, by the highway authority themselves.
(3)No order under this section relating to an access to any premises shall be made by the Minister or, in the case of an order made by [F2any other] highway authority, confirmed either by the Minister or by that authority unless the Minister or, as the case may be, the confirming authority is or are satisfied—
(a)that no access to the premises from the highway in question is reasonably required, or
(b)that another reasonably convenient means of access to the premises is available or will be provided by the Minister or, as the case may be, the [F3other ] highway authority.
(4)Subject to subsection (5) below, the Minister may make regulations for prescribing the procedure to be followed in connection with the making and confirmation of orders under this section, and such regulations shall in particular make provision—
(a)for the publication in such manner as may be prescribed by the regulations of notice of the order proposed to be made or confirmed and for service on such persons as may be so prescribed of a copy of that notice and of such other documents, if any, as may be so prescribed;
(b)as to the content of that notice;
(c)for objections to the making of an order by the Minister received within such period as may be so prescribed and not withdrawn, to be considered by him;
(d)for objections to the confirmation of an order made by aF4...highway authority to be considered by the Minister if any of the objections to the confirmation of the order received within such period as may be so prescribed and not withdrawn was made by an owner, lessee or occupier of any premises with a private means of access which the order would authorise the highway authority to stop up;
(e)for objections to the confirmation of an order made by a F4... highway authority received within such period as may be so prescribed and not withdrawn to be considered by the F4... highway authority if there is no objection received within that period from an owner, lessee or occupier such as is mentioned in paragraph (d) above or if all such objections so received are withdrawn before the order is referred to the Minister for confirmation;
(f)for the making of modifications in the order, whether in consequence of any objections or otherwise, before the order is made or confirmed.
(5)In the case of an order made by[F5a strategic highways company or ] a local highway authority under this section—
(a)if no objection to the confirmation of the order is received within the period prescribed by regulations under subsection (4) above; or
(b)if every such objection so received is withdrawn; or
(c)if every such objection so received from an owner, lessee or occupier of any premises with a private means of access which the order would authorise the highway authority to stop up is withdrawn,
the F6... highway authority may themselves confirm the order, with or without modifications.
(6)Before confirming an order with modifications the F7... highway authority, if they consider that the proposed modifications will make a substantial change in the order, shall inform every such owner, lessee or occupier as is mentioned in subsection (5)(c) above and every other person who appears to them to be likely to be affected by the modifications to the order—
(a)of their intention to make the order; and
(b)of the form in which they propose to make it.
(7)TheF7...highway authority shall give every such person as is mentioned in subsection (6) above an opportunity to make representations with regard to the order, and shall consider any representations with regard to it which any such person makes.
(8)Schedule 2 to this Act has effect as to the validity and date of operation of any order under this section.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 124(2) inserted (5.3.2015) by Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(2); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)
F2Words in s. 124(3) substituted (5.3.2015) by Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(3)(a); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)
F3Word in s. 124(3)(b) substituted (5.3.2015) by Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(3)(b); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)
F4Word in s. 124(4)(d)(e) omitted (5.3.2015) by virtue of Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(4); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)
F5Words in s. 124(5) inserted (5.3.2015) by Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(5)(a); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)
F6Word in s. 124(5) omitted (5.3.2015) by virtue of Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(5)(b); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)
F7Word in s. 124(6)(7) omitted (5.3.2015) by virtue of Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7), s. 57(1), Sch. 1 para. 39(6); S.I. 2015/481, reg. 2(a)