Road Traffic Act 1960

149 Power of Minister to modify restrictions on use of roads by public service vehicles

(1) In a case where the running of public service vehicles on a road is restricted or prohibited by a local Act or order passed or made before the first day of August, nineteen hundred and thirty, the council of the county borough or county district in which the road or any part thereof is situate, or a local authority or person providing or proposing to provide a service of public service vehicles on that road or any part thereof, may apply to the Minister for an order modifying or revoking the restrictions or prohibition.

(2) The Minister, on receiving an application under this section, shall, unless he is of opinion that it is made without reasonable cause, direct a public inquiry to be held into the subject matter of the application, and shall consider the report made to him by the person holding the inquiry.

Not less than one month's notice of the inquiry shall be given to the council of the county borough or county district in which the road is situate, to the applicants, where the application is not made by that authority, and to every local authority or person in whose favour the restrictions or prohibition appear to the Minister to have been imposed or who, in the opinion of the Minister, are affected by the application.

(3) If as a result of the inquiry the Minister is satisfied that it is in the public interest that the restrictions or prohibition should be modified or revoked he may by statutory instrument make an order modifying or revoking them or it, and may by the order modify or revoke to such extent as appears to him to be equitable in the circumstances any obligations imposed upon any person in connection with the restrictions or prohibition.

(4) Every order made under this section shall be laid before Parliament after being made, and shall not come into force until it has been approved by both Houses.

(5) In the application of this section to Scotland, the expression " local authority " means a county or town council and for any reference to the council of a county borough or county district there shall be substituted a reference to the council of a county or burgh.