Part I New Roads in England and Wales

Miscellaneous

22 Adoption of privately constructed roads.

(1)

In section 38 of the Highways Act 1980 (power of highway authorities to adopt by agreement), for subsection (3) (adoption by local highway authority of private road or way) substitute—

“(3)

A local highway authority may agree with any person to undertake the maintenance of a way—

(a)

which that person is willing and has the necessary power to dedicate as a highway, or

(b)

which is to be constructed by that person, or by a highway authority on his behalf, and which he proposes to dedicate as a highway;

and where an agreement is made under this subsection the way to which the agreement relates shall, on such date as may be specified in the agreement, become for the purposes of this Act a highway maintainable at the public expense.

(3A)

The Minister may agree with any person to undertake the maintenance of a road—

(a)

which that person is willing and has the necessary power to dedicate as a highway, or

(b)

which is to be constructed by that person, or by a highway authority on his behalf, and which he proposes to dedicate as a highway,

and which the Minister proposes should become a trunk road; and where an agreement is made under this subsection the road shall become for the purposes of this Act a highway maintainable at the public expense on the date on which an order comes into force under section 10 directing that the road become a trunk road or, if later, the date on which the road is opened for the purposes of through traffic.”.

(2)

In section 10 of the M1Highways Act 1980 (general provisions as to trunk roads)—

(a)

in subsection (2)(a) (highways which may be made trunk roads) for “, or any highway proposed to be constructed by the Minister,” substitute—“or any proposed highway—

(i)

to be constructed by the Minister, or

(ii)

in relation to which the Minister has entered or proposes to enter into an agreement under section 38(3A),”;

(b)

in subsection (4) omit the words from “Without prejudice” to the end of paragraph (b), for “highway proposed to be constructed by the Minister” substitute “ proposed highway ” and omit “by the Minister” in the second place where it occurs; and

(c)

in subsection (7) for “highway proposed to be constructed by the Minister” substitute “ proposed highway ”.