Leeds Supertram Act 1993

2 Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the several words and expressions to which meanings are assigned by the Acts wholly or partly incorporated herewith have the same respective meanings, and—

• “Act of 1845” means the [1845 c. 20.] Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845;

• “Act of 1965” means the [1965 c. 56.] Compulsory Purchase Act 1965;

• “Act of 1991” means the [1991 c. 22.] New Roads and Street Works Act 1991;

• “the acquiring authority” means—

  (a)

  in relation to the lands in the City shown numbered 32G on the deposited plans, the Council; and

  (b)

  in relation to all other lands in the City shown on the deposited plans, the Executive;

• “authorised railways” means the railways authorised by this Act;

• “authorised works” means the works (including railways) authorised by this Act;

• “car park” means a place where vehicles of any class may wait;

• “the City” means the City of Leeds;

• “the Council” means the Leeds City Council;

• “enactment” means any enactment, whether public general or local, and includes any order, byelaw, rule, regulation, scheme or other instrument having effect by virtue of an enactment;

• “the Executive” means the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive;

• “existing” means existing at the commencement of this Act;

• “land” includes land covered by water, any interest in land and any easement or right in, to or over land;

• “the limits of deviation” means the limits so shown on the deposited plans and, where, in the case of a work in any road, no such limits are shown for that work, the boundaries of the road (including any verge or roadside waste adjoining it);

• “railway” includes such guided transport modes as may be authorised under section 17 of this Act;

• “the railways board” means the British Railways Board;

• “road” means any highway or other road to which the public has access and in sections 9, 18, 19 and 40 of this Act includes a bridleway, cycle track or footpath as defined in section 329 of the [1980 c. 66.] Highways Act 1980;

• “statutory undertakers” means any of the following, namely, a licence holder within the meaning of Part I of the [1989 c. 29.] Electricity Act 1989, a public gas supplier within the meaning of Part I of the [1986 c. 44.] Gas Act 1986 and a water undertaker within the meaning of the [1991 c. 56.] Water Industry Act 1991;

• “traffic sign” has the meaning given by section 64 of the [1984 c. 27.] Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984;

• “tram” means a vehicle (whether or not used for the carriage of passengers) carried on flanged wheels on any railway forming part of the tramway system;

• “tramway” means any railway, or any part of a railway, authorised by this Act which, being situated in the carriageway of a road or in a reserved area between dual carriageways, is thereby designated as a tramway;

• “the tramway system” means the light rail or supertram system comprising the authorised railways, including such railways designated as tramways, and all works and conveniences provided in connection with any of those railways, as that system is constructed, extended or altered from time to time; and

• “the tribunal” means the Lands Tribunal.

(2) In the case of any road in relation to which an order made under section 249 (2) of the [1990 c. 8.] Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (a pedestrian planning order) is in force, the kerbline of the road, where there is no kerb, shall be taken to be the edge of the part of the road on which the passage of vehicles is permitted.

(3) Any reference in this Act to rights over land includes reference to the right to do, or to place and maintain, anything in, on or under the land, or in the air space above its surface.

(4) References in this Act to access to any place include egress from that place.

(5) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to a work identified by the number of the work shall be construed as a reference to the work of that number authorised by this Act.

(6) (a) Except as mentioned in paragraph (b) below, all distances and lengths stated in any description of works, powers or lands shall be construed as if the words “or thereabouts” were inserted after each such distance and length, and distances between points on a railway shall be taken to be measured along the railway.

(b) This subsection does not apply to distances or lengths stated in the following provisions of this Act:—

• section 12 (Power to deviate);

• subsections (1) and (5) of section 15 (Gauge of railways and restrictions on working); and

• paragraph (7) of section 41 (For protection of certain statutory undertakers).