(1)In determining whether a road which is provided with such a system of street lighting as is mentioned in section 72(1) of the 1967 Act (street lighting system of specified density) is a restricted road for the purpose of section 71 of that Act (general speed limit for restricted roads), the qualification imposed in the case of trunk or classified roads by section 72(2) (whereby the provision of such a system renders the road restricted only if the system was provided before 1st July 1957) shall cease to have effect.
(2)Any road which—
(a)would (apart from this subsection) become a restricted road by virtue of subsection (1) above at the time of the coming into operation of this section ; and
(b)immediately before that time was treated as if it were not a restricted road ;
shall be taken to have ceased to be a restricted road before that time by virtue of a direction duly given under section 72(3) and still in force at that time.
(3)For the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above, a road shall be taken as having been treated as if it were not a restricted road immediately before the time mentioned in that subsection if immediately before that time there was in place in respect of that road any sign of a description prescribed for indicating—
(a)that no maximum speed limit (other than one in respect of which no sign is required) is to be observed on any road in respect of which it is placed; or
(b)that a maximum speed limit is to be observed on any such road;
so long as in a case within paragraph (b) above the maximum speed limit displayed is greater than the rate of speed fixed by section 71 at that time (maximum speed limit of thirty miles per hour on restricted roads).
(4)For the purposes of subsection (3)(a) above, a maximum speed limit is one in respect of which no sign is required if it is one in relation to which section 75 of the 1967 Act does not apply.
(5)In consequence of the preceding provisions of this section, section 72(2) and (4) of the 1967 Act is hereby repealed.
(6)In this section " road " means any length of road.