47Designation of experimental areas
(1)For the purposes of this Act an experimental area is any area in Great Britain for the time being designated in accordance with the following provisions of this section as an area in relation to which the requirements of this Act as to public service vehicles may be modified.
(2)The Secretary of State may by order so designate any area consisting of the whole or a part of the area of a local authority. The Secretary of State, if requested to do so as regards any such area by the local authority concerned, shall so designate the area in question.
(3)An order under subsection (2) above, other than one for altering the area designated by a previous order under that subsection, shall specify the period (starting with the day on which the order comes into operation, and not exceeding two years) for which it is to have effect; and at the end of the period so specified the order (and any other order in force under that subsection which amends it) shall cease to have effect unless continued in force by an order under subsection (4) below.
(4)The Secretary of State—
(a)may from time to time by order extend or further extend the period for which any particular order in force under subsection (2) above is to have effect; and
(b)if requested by the local authority whose area is or contains the experimental area designated by such an order to extend or further extend the period for which the order is to have effect, shall so extend or further extend that period accordingly;
but the period of extension or further extension provided for in any one order under this subsection shall not exceed two years.
(5)Before making any order under this section in respect of an area the Secretary of State shall consult with the local authority concerned, with such organisations as appear to him appropriate as representing persons providing or employed in the provision of public passenger transport services in the area, and with such other organisations or bodies as appear to him appropriate.
(6)Any power conferred by this section to make orders shall be exercisable by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(7)In this section, in section 48 of this Act and in Schedule 5 to this Act—
" local authority " means, for England and Wales, a county council or the Greater London Council and for Scotland a regional or islands council;
" the local authority concerned " means—
(a)in relation to any area designated or proposed to be designated under subsection (2) above, the local authority whose area is or contains that area, and
(b)in relation to an authorisation or proposed authorisation under the next following section, the local authority who granted it or have power to grant it.