§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the bodies responsible for the maintenance and control of traffic lights in each area of the United Kingdom, including a brief description of their(a) function and (b) statutory duties. [62873]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Statutory responsibility for traffic lights in England rests with the relevant traffic authority. This will be a County Council, Metropolitan District Council, or a Unitary Authority. In London, Transport for London is the traffic authority for strategic routes, London Boroughs for all other roads. However, Transport for London control all traffic lights within the London area, regardless of whether they are the traffic authority for the roads at the junction. The Highways Agency is responsible for trunk roads.
Similar arrangements apply in Scotland and Wales. The Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for trunk roads in Scotland and Wales. Local Authorities in Scotland and Unitary Authorities in Wales are responsible for other roads.
In Northern Ireland, the Department for Regional Development is responsible for all roads.
The function and duties of traffic authorities are set out in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 84). In the present context the authorities' general duty is
to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic (including pedestrians)".Specific duties in relation to traffic signals are covered in Part V of the RTRA 84 and the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994.