(1)A person authorised by or under an enactment to operate a tramway (“the lessor”) may with the consent of the Secretary of State grant to another person (“the lessee”), for a period agreed between the lessor and the lessee, the right to operate the tramway (or any part of it) and such related statutory rights as may be so agreed.
(2)The terms of any agreement made by virtue of subsection (1) above shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.
(3)Where an agreement is made by virtue of subsection (1) above, references in any enactment to the lessor shall, if and to the extent that the agreement so provides, have effect as references to the lessee.
(4)This section shall apply only to tramways in operation at the passing of this Act.
(1)The [1981 c. 14.] Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 shall be amended as follows.
(2)In section 24 (regulation of conduct of drivers, inspectors and conductors)—
(a)at the end of subsection (1) there shall be added the words “and
(c)drivers, inspectors and conductors of tramcars”;
(b)in subsection (2), after the word “driver” there shall be inserted the words “of a public service vehicle”.
(3)In section 25(1) (regulation of conduct of passengers) after the words “public service vehicles” there shall be inserted the words “or tramcars”, and after the words “public service vehicle” wherever they occur there shall be inserted the words “or tramcar”.
(4)In section 27(1) (returns to be provided by persons operating public service vehicles) after the words “public service vehicles” there shall be inserted the words “or tramcars”.
(5)In section 60(1) (general power to make regulations)—
(a)at the end of paragraph (j) (carriage of luggage and goods on public service vehicles) there shall be added the words “or tramcars”;
(b)in paragraph (k) (custody of property left on a public service vehicle) after the word “vehicle” there shall be inserted the words “or tramcar”.
(6)After subsection (1A) of section 60 there shall be inserted—
“(1B)Regulations made under any provision of this Act and applying to tramcars may amend or exclude any provision of an Act or instrument of local application whose subject-matter is the same as that of the regulations.”
(1)In section 4 of the [1869 c. 115.] Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869 (interpretation) in the definition of “hackney carriage”, for the words “not a stage carriage” there shall be substituted the words “neither a stage carriage nor a tramcar”.
(2)In section 4 of the [1968 c. 7.] London Cab Act 1968 (display of signs etc) in subsection (5) in the definition of “private hire-car”, after the words “public service vehicle” there shall be inserted the words “or tramcar”.
(3)In section 80 of the [1976 c. 57.] Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (interpretation) in subsection (1) in the definition of “private hire vehicle”, after the words “London cab” there shall be inserted the words “or tramcar”.