PART 1Strategic highways companies

Oversight

I1I29Watchdog

1

The Passengers' Council must carry out activities to protect and promote the interests of users of highways for which a strategic highways company is the highway authority.

2

Those activities may include investigating, publishing reports or giving advice to the Secretary of State on—

a

how a strategic highways company's exercise of its functions or achievement of its objectives under a Road Investment Strategy affects users of highways for which it is the highway authority, and

b

any other matters—

i

relating to highways for which a strategic highways company is the highway authority, and

ii

which the Council considers to be of interest to users of such highways.

3

The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that those activities may not relate to a matter—

a

to the extent specified;

b

subject to compliance with specified conditions.

4

The Secretary of State must consult the Council before making regulations under subsection (3).

5

The Secretary of State must, in exercising functions under this Part, have regard to any advice given to him or her by the Council under this section.

6

The Council may by agreement with a local highway authority carry out activities to protect and promote the interests of users of highways for which the authority is the highway authority.

7

Those activities may include investigating, publishing reports or giving advice to the local highway authority on any matters—

a

relating to highways for which the authority is the highway authority, and

b

which the authority and the Council consider to be of interest to users of such highways.

8

In Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (other public bodies and offices: general), at the appropriate place insert— “ The Passengers' Council. ”