An Act for regulating the Traffic in the Metropolis, and for making Provision for the greater Security of Persons passing through the Streets, and for other Purposes.
[20th August 1867]
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Functions of Metropolitan Board of Works now exercisable by Greater London Council: Local Government Act 1888 (c. 41), s. 40(8)(9), London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), ss. 2, 3(1)(b), Sch. 2 and Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70), s. 8, Sch. 2
C2Functions of Commissioner of Works now exercisable by Secretary of State: S.R. & O. 1945/991 (Rev. XV, p. 232: 1945 I, p. 1414), S.I. 1962/1549 and 1970/1681
C3Preamble omitted under authority of Statute Law Revision Act 1893 (c. 14)
C4Words of enactment and certain other words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1893 (c. 14)
C5Acts cited or referred to by their short titles under authority of Statute Law Revision Act 1893 (c. 14), s. 3
Commencement Information
I1Act wholly in force at Royal Assent.
This Act may be cited for all purposes as “The Metropolitan Streets Act, 1867.”
In this Act “the Metropolis” shall mean the City of London and all parishes and places for the time being within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Board of Works.
The following expressions for the purposes of this Act shall, unless the context requires a different construction, have the meanings herein-after assigned to them; that is to say,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1
“Commissioner of Police,” beyond the limits of the City of London . . . F2, shall mean “the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis,” and within such limits “the Commissioner of the Police Force of the City of London . . . F2:”
“Street” shall include any highway or other public place, whether a thoroughfare or not; and any of the royal parks, gardens, and possessions which are managed by the Commissioners of Works in pursuance of the M1Crown Lands Acts, 1851, shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be public places:
The word “cattle” shall include bull, ox, cow, heifer, calf, sheep, goats, and swine, also horses, mules, and asses, when led in a string or loose.
Textual Amendments
F1Definition repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989 (c. 43), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. X
F2Words repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989 (c. 43), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. X
Marginal Citations
The expression “the general limits of this Act” shall mean such parts of the Metropolis as are enclosed in a circle of which the centre is Charing Cross, and the radii are [F3six miles] in length, as measured in a straight line from Charing Cross:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4
Textual Amendments
F3Words substituted by Metropolitan Streets Act 1885 (c. 18), s. 2
F4Definiton of "the special limits of this Act" repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 (c. 39), Sch. 1 Pt. VI
Textual Amendments
F5S. 5 repealed by Public Health (London) Act 1936 (c. 50), Sch. 7
No goods or other articles shall be allowed to rest on any footway or other part of a street within the general limits of this Act, or be otherwise allowed to cause obstruction or inconvenience to the passage of the public, for a longer time than may be absolutely necessary for loading or unloading such goods or other articles.
Any person doing any act in contravention of this section shall be liable for each offence to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
Textual Amendments
F6Words repealed by Metropolitan Streets Act Amendment Act 1867 (31 & 32 Vict. c. 5), s. 1
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C6S. 6 amended by Metropolitan Streets Act Amendment Act 1867 (31 & 32 Vict. c. 5), s. 1 and City of London (Street Traffic) Act 1909 (c. lxvii), s. 3 and amended with the substitution of £20 for a first offence and £50 for a second or subsequent offence by Criminal Justice Act 1967 (c. 80), s. 92, Sch. 3 Pt. I
No person shall drive or conduct any cattle through any street within the general limits of this Act between the hours of ten in the morning and seven in the evening, except with the permission of the Commissioner of the Police.
Any person driving or conducting cattle in contravention of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten shillings for each head of cattle so driven or conducted.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C7S. 7 amended by City of London (Street Traffic) Act 1909 (c. lxvii), s. 2
Textual Amendments
F7S. 8 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 (c. 39), Sch. 1 Pt. VI
No picture, print, board, placard, or notice, except in such form and manner as may be approved of by the Commissioner of Police, shall, by way of advertisement, be carried or distributed in any street within the general limits of this Act by any person riding in any vehicle, or on horseback, or being on foot.
Any person doing any act in contravention of this section shall be liable for each offence to a penalty not exceeding [F8£10].
This section shall not apply to the sale of newspapers.
Textual Amendments
F8Figures substituted by Criminal Justice Act 1967 (c. 80), s. 92, Sch. 3 Pt. I
Textual Amendments
F9Ss. 10–16 repealed by London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), Sch. 17 para. 29(b), Sch. 18 Pt. II
Textual Amendments
F10S. 17 repealed by Statute Law Repeals Act 1976 (c. 16), s. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. XVII
Textual Amendments
F11S. 18 repealed by London Government Act 1963 (c. 33), Sch. 17 para. 29(b), Sch. 18 Pt. II
The Commissioner of Police may, if he thinks fit, from time to time license street shoeblacks, and commissionaires or messengers, to exercise their calling, and appoint places at which they may stand to exercise their respective callings, and direct the numbers of each class who may stand at the appointed places.
Every shoeblack, and commissionaire or messenger, other than those authorized by the Commissioner of Police, who occupies the standings appointed by the said Commissioner, or who remains there after being required by a constable on duty to leave, and every person molesting or obstructing any authorized shoeblack, commissionaire, or messenger in the exercise of his calling, and every person not being an authorized shoeblack or commissionaire who fraudulently puts on or imitates the dress, or takes the name, designation, or character, of any authorized shoeblack or commissionaire, shall for each offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.
Textual Amendments
F12S. 21 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1875 (c. 66)
The said Secretary of State or the Commissioner of Police may cause to be attached to any lamp post any placard or signal he may think expedient for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.
Textual Amendments
Textual Amendments
Textual Amendments
F15S. 25 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1981 (c. 19), s. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. VII
Textual Amendments
F16S. 26 repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 (c. 39), Sch. 1 Pt. VI
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F17
All powers conferred by this Act shall be deemed to be in addition to and not in derogation of any other powers conferred by any other Act of Parliament, and any such other powers may be exercised as if this Act had not passed.
Textual Amendments
F17Words repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989 (c. 43), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. X
This Act, so far as is consistent with the tenor thereof, shall be construed as one with the Acts relating to the Metropolitan Police and to the City Police.
Textual Amendments
F18S. 29 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1875 (c. 66)