56.Section 19 of the Act substitutes section 112 (‘the road works register’) of the 1991 Act with section 112A and 112B. In addition to the functions set out in section 17, section 112A imposes on the Commissioner a duty to keep a register, to be known as the Scottish Road Works Register (SRWR). The SRWR must show any information required to enable the Commissioner to maintain a complete picture of road works and other works being carried out on roads. This information, and the format required for the SRWR, will be prescribed in regulations.
57.Subsection (4) enables the Scottish Ministers to require persons who are to enter information on the SRWR to pay a fee. It also enables the Scottish Ministers to require payments to the Commissioner by other persons. Subsection (5) requires any amounts received under subsection (4) to be applied by the commissioner tot eh keeping of the SRWR.
58.The Commissioner will make the SRWR available, at all reasonable times and free of charge, for inspection by anyone unless the information is restricted. This will assist, for instance, bus operators in planning possible changes to routes and journey times as a result of substantial and/or prolonged works. The Commissioner can also require that the information be made available to anyone with sufficient interest. The SRWR is essential for road authorities to fulfil their general duty, under section 118 of the 1991 Act, to co-ordinate road works. The reasons for restricting information (for example, national security) will be prescribed in regulations.
59.Section 112B of the 1991 Act places a duty on a road works authority to maintain and update the SRWR with:
details of each road for which the authority is responsible as may be prescribed in regulations;
all proposed works (the precise details will be set out in regulations);
permissions granted under section 109 of the 1991 Act. (This information should include details of the apparatus and works to which the permission relates);
details of restrictions relating to the timing of works and the placement of apparatus in certain roads timing;
the start date of works;
the completion date of works; and
for each road for which a road works authority are responsible, information about road works and other works (for example, the location of skips and scaffolding) which are carried out on the road. The Act refers to road works authorities’ existing responsibilities under sections 113-115 of the 1991 Act, and the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. The latter refers to information about skips and various other types of works on the road.
60.The content and format of information required by section 112B will be prescribed in regulations.
61.Subsection 19(2) amends section 108(2) of the 1991 Act to reflect the insertion of section 112B.
62.Subsection 19(3) amends section 113(1) of the 1991 Act to require undertakers to give advance notice of road works to the SRWR. and as a result of information being input directly to the register the relevant road works authority can access up-to-date information in order to co-ordinate road works and other works taking place on roads.
63.Subsection 19(4) introduces section 114(3A) to the 1991 Act and requires undertakers to give notice of start date of works to the SRWR, again by inputting information directly.
64.Subsection 19(5) introduces section 116(3A) to the 1991 Act and requires undertakers to give notice of emergency works to the SRWR, again by inputting information directly.
65.Subsection 19(6) amends section 117(2) of the 1991 Act to require information on the restriction of works to be entered by the road works authority into the SRWR.