16Temporary stoppage of roads, etc
(1)The appropriate authority during and for the purpose of the execution of the Company’s works or the Board’s works (as the case may be) may temporarily stop up and divert and interfere with any road, bridleway or footpath and may for any reasonable time divert the traffic therefrom and prevent all persons other than those bona fide going to or from any land, house or building abutting on the road, bridleway or footpath from passing along and using the same.
(2)The appropriate authority shall provide reasonable access for persons on foot bona fide going to or from any such land, house or building.
(3)The appropriate authority shall not exercise the powers of this section without the consent of the highway authority but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld and any question as to whether such consent has been unreasonably withheld shall be referred to and settled by arbitration.
(4)The appropriate authority shall not exercise the powers of this section with respect to any road unless they have given not less than 21 days' notice in writing of their intention so to do to—
(a)the traffic commissioner, constituted for the purposes of the [1981 c. 14.] Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981, in whose area the road is situate; and
(b)the operator over that road of a local service as defined in the [1985 c. 67.] Transport Act 1985;
except in case of emergency when such notice as is practicable shall be given.
(5)The exercise by the appropriate authority of the powers of this section in relation to any road, bridleway or footpath shall not prejudice or affect the rights of the operator of any telecommunications code system (within the meaning of Schedule 4 to the [1984 c. 12.] Telecommunications Act 1984) to maintain, inspect, repair, renew or remove telecommunication apparatus (within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the said Act of 1984) or break open that road, bridleway or footpath for any of those purposes.