Temporary stopping up and interference with streets during operation or maintenance of flood gates
4.—(1) The Agency may close the flood gates and in so doing obstruct one or more of the public rights of way on Northbridge Street, High Street and Station Road at any time and for such period as is necessary in the interests of flood defence or to maintain the flood gates.
(2) Without prejudice to the application of Chapter 2 of Part 2 (Abstraction and Impounding) of the Water Resources Act 1991 the Agency may by means of closing the flood gates intercept, divert or otherwise interfere with any flood water.
(3) The Agency must make reasonable efforts to provide at all times reasonable access for pedestrians going to or from premises in Northbridge Street, High Street or Station Road insofar as such access is affected by the exercise of the powers conferred by this article.
(4) The Agency must not, except in a case of urgency, exercise the powers of paragraph (1) without first consulting the highway authority.
(5) In exercising its powers under article 3 (maintenance and operation of Robertsbridge Works) and paragraph (1), the Agency must keep inconvenience and disruption to the public to the minimum possible consistent with the proper operation and maintenance of the flood gates in the interests of flood defence.
(6) In paragraph (4) above, “highways authority” has the same meaning as in the Highways Act 1980(1).