Highways Act 1980

83 Removal of cattle-grids and discontinuance of by-passes

(1) Where it appears to a highway authority, after such consultation with such owners and such occupiers of agricultural land as the highway authority consider requisite, that a cattle-grid provided under this Act for a highway for which they are the highway authority is no longer required, the authority may remove the cattle-grid and any gate or other works on the highway which have been provided for use in connection with it, making good the site thereof.

(2) Where a by-pass has been provided for use in connection with a cattle-grid and the highway authority remove the cattle-grid they may direct that the by-pass is to be discontinued, and where they give such a direction they may remove all or any of the works provided for the purposes of the by-pass.

(3) If a direction under subsection (2) above so provides, then as from such date as may be specified in the direction the public right of way over the by-pass shall be extinguished.

(4) Where a by-pass or any part of one has been provided along an existing highway, then—

(a) notwithstanding subsection (3) above, a direction under subsection (2) above shall not extinguish any right of way which existed before the by-pass was provided;

(b) if the cattle-grid for use in connection with which the by-pass was provided is removed, as soon as may be thereafter the highway authority shall (whether or not they direct that the by-pass is to be discontinued, but without prejudice to their power to remove works under subsection (2) above if they do so direct) remove so much of the works provided for the purpose of the by-pass as obstructs the exercise of any right of way existing before the by-pass was provided.