(1)It is hereby declared that the purposes for which advances may be made by the Secretary of State under section 8 of the [1909 c. 47.] Development and Road Improvement Funds Act 1909 include the carrying out of surveys with a view to ascertaining the need for the construction or improvement of roads (whether or not any such construction or improvement is carried out) and other purposes incidental or conducive to the purposes described in subsection (1) of that section.
(2)The Secretary of State may, for all or any of the following purposes, that is to say, the purposes of the said section 8, so far as it relates to the making of advances to local highway authorities, and the purposes of any enactment or instrument (whether passed or made before or after the passing of this Act) which refers to roads or highways classified by the Secretary of State, classify roads and proposed roads in such manner as he may from time to time determine after consultation with the highway authorities concerned.
(3)Section 17 of the [1919 c. 50.] Ministry of Transport Act 1919 shall cease to have effect so far as it relates to the construction, improvement and maintenance of roads, bridges and ferries; and in any enactment (including an enactment in any local Act) or any instrument in force at the commencement of this Part of this Act any reference to a road classified, or classified in any class, under the said section 17 shall be construed as a reference to a road which for the time being is classified under subsection (2) of this section—
(a)as a principal road for the purposes of advances under the said section 8 ; or
(b)as a classified road for the purposes of that enactment or instrument.
(4)For the purposes of subsection (3) of this section any road which, immediately before the commencement of this Part of this Act, was classified under the said section 17 in Class I, II, or III shall, until the Secretary of State otherwise directs, be treated as classified under subsection (2) of this section as a classified road for the purpose of every such enactment or instrument as is mentioned in the said subsection (3).
(5)A road in a small burgh which is vested in a county council by reason only of its being a classified road shall cease to be so vested when it ceases to be a classified road.
In this subsection " small burgh " has the same meaning as in the [1947 c. 43.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947.