(1)The Area Transport Users Consultative Committees established under section 56 of the [1962 c. 46.] Transport Act 1962 are hereby abolished and the London Regional Passengers' Committee established under section 40 of the [1984 c. 32.] London Regional Transport Act 1984 (which is treated by virtue of section 41 of that Act as such a committee for certain purposes) shall accordingly cease to be treated as one of those committees for any purpose.
(2)The Regulator shall establish a number of committees, not exceeding nine at any one time, to be known as Rail Users' Consultative Committees (in this Part referred to as “consultative committees”).
(3)There shall be one consultative committee for Scotland, and one for Wales.
(4)In addition to the consultative committees established under subsection (2) above, the London Regional Passengers' Committee shall be treated as the consultative committee for the Greater London area for all purposes of this Part other than—
(a)subsections (2) and (3) above and subsections (6) to (8) below;
(b)section 79 below; and
(c)Schedule 2 to this Act;
and references in this Part to a consultative committee shall be construed accordingly.
(5)Subject to subsections (3) and (4) above—
(a)each consultative committee shall be appointed for such area as the Regulator may from time to time assign to it; and
(b)the Regulator shall so assign areas to consultative committees as to secure that every place in Great Britain forms part of the area of a consultative committee, and that no place forms part of the area of two or more consultative committees.
(6)Each consultative committee established under subsection (2) above shall consist of—
(a)a chairman appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with the Regulator; and
(b)such other members, being not less than ten nor more than twenty in number, as the Regulator may from time to time appoint, after consultation with the Secretary of State and the chairman.
(7)The chairman and other members of a consultative committee established under subsection (2) above shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of the instruments appointing them and shall, on ceasing to hold office, be eligible for re-appointment.
(8)The provisions of Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect with respect to each of the consultative committees established under subsection (2) above.
(9)Unless the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Regulator, otherwise directs, “the Greater London area” means, for the purposes of this section, the area for which, immediately before the coming into force of this section, the London Regional Passengers' Committee was treated, by virtue of section 41(1) of the [1984 c. 32.] London Regional Transport Act 1984, as the Area Transport Users Consultative Committee for the purposes there mentioned.