The Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997

Powers of Department relating to the removal of signsN.I.

35.—(1) Where the Department has reasonable cause to believe that a person has committed an offence under Article 34(1), the Department may require that person to remove the sign in respect of which the offence was committed and if he fails or refuses to do so, the Department may remove the sign.

(2) The Department may by notice in writing require the owner or occupier of any land on which there is any object or device (whether fixed or portable) purporting to be for the guidance or direction of persons using a public road to remove it within such period as is specified in the notice.

(3) The period specified in the notice under paragraph (2) shall be—

(a)five days where the Department considers that the object or device may prejudice the safety of persons using the road;

(b)not less than 14 days in any other case.

(4) A person on whom a notice under paragraph (2) is served may make representations to the Department in writing within the period specified in accordance with paragraph (3) and the Department may extend the period specified in the notice to enable it to consider his representations.

(5) If the Department is satisfied that the removal of the object or device would cause serious hardship, the Department may authorise its retention on the land subject to any conditions the Department thinks fit to impose.

(6) If the Department is satisfied that the object or device should be removed but that its removal within the period specified in the notice under paragraph (2) would cause serious hardship the Department may extend that period subject to any conditions the Department thinks just.

(7) Where under paragraph (2) a person is required to remove an object or device and fails to do so within the period specified in a notice under paragraph (2) or within any extended period allowed by the Department under paragraph (4) or (6), the Department may enter on the land and remove the object or device.

(8) Any expenses reasonably incurred by the Department in removing a sign under paragraph (1) or (7) shall be recoverable summarily as a civil debt due to the Department by the person required to remove the sign under paragraph (1) or (2).

(9) This Article shall not apply to any object or device—

(a)in respect of which planning permission under [F1the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011] is, or is deemed to be, granted; or

(b)which constitutes development within the meaning of the [1944 c. 33] Planning (Interim Development) Act (Northern Ireland) 1944 and was erected with the permission of a planning (N.I.). authority under the Planning Acts (Northern Ireland) 1931 and 1944,

except where the Department considers that the object or device may prejudice the safety of persons using a public road.