New Roads and Street Works Act 1991

117 Restriction on works following substantial works carried out for road purposes

(1) Where it is proposed to carry out substantial works in a road, the road works authority may by notice in accordance with this section restrict the execution of road works during the twelve months following the completion of those works.

For this purpose substantial works means works for road purposes, or such works together with other works, of such description as may be prescribed.

(2) The notice shall be published in the prescribed manner and shall specify the nature and location of the proposed works, the date (not being less than three months after the notice is published, or first published) on which it is proposed to begin the works, and the extent of the restriction.

(3) A copy of the notice shall be given to each of the following—

(a) where there is a sewer vested in a local authority in the part of the road to which the restriction relates, to that authority;

(b) where the part of the road to which the restriction relates is carried or crossed by a bridge vested in a transport authority, or crosses or is crossed by any other property held or used for the purposes of a transport authority, to that authority,

(c) where in any other case the part of the road to which the restriction relates is carried or crossed by a bridge, to the bridge authority,

(d) any person who has given notice under section 113 (advance notice of certain works) of his intention to execute road works in the part of the road to which the restriction relates, and

(e) any other person having apparatus in the part of the road to which the restriction relates;

but a failure to do so does not affect the validity of the restriction imposed by the notice.

(4) A notice ceases to be effective if the works to which it relates are not substantially begun—

(a) on or within one month from the date specified in the notice, or

(b) where road works are in progress in the part of the road to which the restriction relates on that date, within one month from the completion of those works.

(5) An undertaker shall not in contravention of a restriction imposed by a notice under this section break up or open the part of the road to which the restriction relates, except—

(a) to execute emergency works,

(b) with the consent of the road works authority, or

(c) in such other cases as may be prescribed.

(6) If he does—

(a) he commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, and

(b) he is liable to reimburse the road works authority any costs reasonably incurred by them in reinstating the road.

(7) The consent of the road works authority under subsection (5)(b) shall not be unreasonably withheld; and any question whether the withholding of consent is unreasonable shall be settled by arbitration.

(8) An undertaker shall be taken not to have failed to fulfil any statutory duty to afford a supply or service if, or to the extent that, his failure is attributable to a restriction imposed by a notice under this section.