24Connection of private streets to highway
(1)For its purposes, or for purposes incidental thereto, a regional development agency may serve a notice (a “connection notice”) on the local highway authority requiring the authority to connect a private street to an existing highway (whether or not it is a highway which for the purposes of the [1980 c. 66.] Highways Act 1980 is a highway maintainable at the public expense).
(2)A connection notice must specify—
(a)the private street and the existing highway;
(b)the works which appear to the agency to be necessary to make the connection; and
(c)the period within which those works should be carried out.
(3)Before serving a connection notice a regional development agency shall consult the local highway authority about the proposed contents of the notice.
(4)Within the period of 2 months beginning with the date on which the connection notice was served, the local highway authority may appeal against the notice to the Secretary of State.
(5)After considering any representations made to him by the regional development agency concerned and the local highway authority, the Secretary of State shall determine an appeal under subsection (4) by setting aside or confirming the connection notice (with or without modifications).
(6)A connection notice becomes effective—
(a)where no appeal is made within the period of 2 months referred to in subsection (4), upon the expiry of that period;
(b)where an appeal is made within that period but is withdrawn before it has been determined by the Secretary of State, on the date following the expiry of the period of 21 days beginning with the date on which the Secretary of State is notified of the withdrawal;
(c)where an appeal is made and the connection notice is confirmed by a determination under subsection (5), on such date as the Secretary of State may specify in the determination.
(7)Where a connection notice becomes effective, the local highway authority shall carry out the works specified in the notice within such period as may be so specified and may recover the expenses reasonably incurred by them in doing so from the regional development agency which served the notice.
(8)If the local highway authority do not carry out the works specified in the notice within such period as may be so specified, the regional development agency which served the notice may itself carry out or complete those works or arrange for another person to do so.
(9)In this section—
“highway” and “local highway authority” have the same meanings as in the [1980 c. 66.] Highways Act 1980;
“private street” has the same meaning as in Part XI of that Act.