158Relaxation of section 157 in certain cases
(1)Where, with a view to facilitating the movement of traffic, it is proposed to execute in Greater London works of road improvement of such a nature as will involve the closing to vehicular traffic as mentioned in subsection (4) of section 157 above of a part of a highway to which that section applies, the Greater London Council may, in accordance with subsection (2) below, if on grounds of urgency they consider it expedient, authorise those works—
(a)to be begun without being included in the scheme in force under that section, or
(b)(if they are so included) to be begun otherwise than in accordance with the scheme.
(2)An authorisation under subsection (1) above may be granted by the Council—
(a)in the case of any highway for which they are the highway authority, or
(b)on the application of the council of a London borough or the Common Council, in the case of any highway for which the borough council or Common Council, as the case may be, are the highway authority.
(3)Where the Council give authority under subsection (1) above for the execution of any works of road improvement, or receive notice from the Minister of Transport that such works of road improvement as are mentioned in that subsection are to be executed in the case of a highway for which he is the highway authority, they may by order modify in such manner as appears to them to be expedient the scheme under section 157 above.
(4)The Council shall send copies of any such order to all undertakers whose powers extend to highways to which the order relates and if the highway authority one month or more before they begin the works give to any such undertakers a notice containing the like particulars of the proposed works as would be required in a statement under section 157 above, section 159(2) to (4) below shall apply as if the undertakers had been sent copies of the proposals under section 159(1).
(5)In this section " undertakers " has the meaning provided by section 157(9) above.