The Walkways Regulations 1973

Periodic and temporary closure of walkways

5.—(1) Where provision is made in a walkway agreement for the periodic closure of a walkway to which the agreement relates, then the walkway may be closed at the times specified in the agreement and such closure may be effected by shutting gates or other barriers on, or giving access to, the walkway, or by other appropriate means.

(2) The building owner may close a walkway temporarily where such closure is necessary by reason of work being executed, or to be executed, by him on or in connection with the walkway, or on or in connection with any building supporting or abutting on the walkway, and such closure shall be effected by erecting barriers, or taking other measures, for preventing public use of the walkway.

(3) Except in an emergency, the building owner shall not close a walkway temporarily under paragraph (2) of this Regulation until the expiration of at least 21 days from the date by which—

(a) he has given notice of his intention to the highway authority for the walkway, to the owners and occupiers of any other premises having direct access to the walkway and to any of the following who have apparatus in, under, over, along or across the walkway, that is to say, statutory undertakers, sewerage authorities and the Post Office, and

(b) he has begun to display a notice of such intention in a prominent position at the ends of so much of the walkway as is to be closed.

(4) Any notice displayed as is mentioned in paragraph (3) of this Regulation shall give particulars of any alternative route which may be available to the public during the continuance of the closure.

(5) Except insofar as any contrary provision is made in any arrangement under which consent was given for the placing of apparatus in, under, over, along or across a supported walkway, the periodic or temporary closure of a walkway under this Regulation shall not affect the powers of statutory undertakers, sewerage authorities or the Post Office to maintain, inspect, repair, renew or remove during the period of the closure, any apparatus of theirs which is situated in, under, over, along or across the walkway.