(1)For the purposes of this Act Great Britain shall be divided into the Metropolitan, Northern, Yorkshire, North-western, West Midland, East Midland, Eastern, South Wales, Western, South-Eastern and Scottish Traffic Areas.
(2)The Secretary of State may from time to time by order vary the provisions of this Act constituting traffic areas, either by altering the limits of an existing traffic area or by increasing or reducing the number of traffic areas or otherwise as he may think fit.
(3)An order under this section for varying the number or limits of traffic areas may contain such consequential and incidental provisions, including provisions—
(a)as to the effect of licences previously issued, and consents previously given, by the traffic commissioners for any traffic area abolished or otherwise affected;
(b)as to the effect of applications for licences or consents previously made to any such traffic commissioners, as to the traffic commissioners to whom applications relating to any such area may be made between the date of the order and the date as from which the abolition of, or other change in, the area is to have effect, and as to the traffic commissioners by whom and the places at which any such application may be heard, either before or after the last mentioned date;
(c)as to the continuance of appeals pending against decisions of the traffic commissioners for any traffic area abolished or otherwise affected; and
(d)as to the recovery of any sums due, at the date as from which a traffic area is abolished, to the traffic commissioners for that area,
as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the variations of areas to be affected by the order.
(4)The power to make orders conferred by this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be laid before Parliament after being made, and an order under this section shall not have effect unless and until it has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.