High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act 2017

19 (1) The following provisions of this paragraph have effect in any case where the Secretary of State or the nominated undertaker, in exercise of the powers of this Act, acquires any interest in or temporarily occupies any land in which apparatus is placed.

(2) Unless a certificate is issued by the appropriate Ministers under sub-paragraph (3) the apparatus must not be removed under this Part, and any right of the undertakers to maintain, repair, renew, adjust, alter or inspect the apparatus in that land is not to be extinguished until any necessary alternative apparatus has been constructed and is in operation to the reasonable satisfaction of the undertakers.

(3) Where the appropriate Ministers certify in relation to any apparatus that—

(a) failure to remove the apparatus would cause undue delay to the construction of the scheduled works, and

(b) the removal of the apparatus before the provision of alternative apparatus in accordance with this paragraph would not substantially prejudice the ability of the undertakers to meet any relevant service obligations,

that apparatus may be removed (or required by the nominated undertaker to be removed) under this Part before any necessary alternative apparatus has been constructed or is in operation to the reasonable satisfaction of the undertakers.

(4) In this paragraph “appropriate Ministers” means the Secretary of State for Transport acting jointly with either the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.