Tramways Act 1870

Purchase of TramwaysE+W+S

[F143Future purchase of undertaking by local authority.E+W+S

Where the promoters of a tramway in any district are not the local authority, the local authority, if, by resolution passed at a special meeting of the members constituting such local authority, they so decide, may within six months after the expiration of a period of twenty-one years from the time when such promoters were empowered to construct such tramway, and within six months after the expiration of every subsequent period of seven years or within three months after any order made by the Board of Trade under either of the two next preceding sections, with the approval of the Board of Trade, by notice in writing require such promoters to sell, and thereupon such promoters shall sell to them their undertaking, or so much of the same as is within such district, upon terms of paying the then value (exclusive of any allowance for past or future profits of the undertaking, or any compensation for compulsory sale, or other consideration whatsoever) of the tramway, and all lands, buildings, works, materials, and plant of the promoters suitable to and used by them for the purposes of their undertaking within such district, such value to be in case of difference determined by an engineer or other fit person nominated as referee by the Board of Trade on the application of either party, and the expenses of the reference to be borne and paid as the referee directs. And when any such sale has been made, all the rights, powers, and authorities of such promoters in respect to the undertaking sold, or where any order has been made by the Board of Trade under either of the next preceding sections, all the rights, powers, and authorities of such promoters previous to the making of such order in respect of the undertaking sold, shall be transferred to, vested in, and may be exercised by the authority to whom the same has been sold, in like manner as if such tramway was constructed by such authority under the powers conferred upon them by a Provisional Order under this Act, and in reference to the same they shall be deemed to be the promoters.

No such resolution shall be valid unless a month’s previous notice of the meeting, and of the purpose thereof, has been given in manner in which notices of meetings of such local authority are usually given, nor unless two thirds of the members constituting such local authority are present and vote at the meeting, and a majority of those present and voting concur in the resolution; provided that if in Scotland the local authority be the road trustees, it shall not be necessary that two thirds of such trustees shall be present at the meeting, but the resolution shall not be valid unless two thirds of the members present vote in favour of such resolution, and unless the said resolution is confirmed in like manner at another meeting called as aforesaid and held not less than three weeks and not more than six weeks thereafter; and it shall be lawful for the chairman of any such meeting, with the consent of a majority of the members present, to adjourn the same from time to time.

The local authority in any district may pay the purchase money and all expenses incurred by them in the purchase of any undertaking under the authority of this section [F2out of the like rate]] and shall have the like powers to borrow [F2on the security of the same] as if such expenses were incurred in applying for, obtaining, and carrying into effect any Provisional Order obtained by them under this Act.

Where the local rate is limited by law to a certain amount, and is by reason of such limitation insufficient for the payment of such purchase money and expenses, the Board of Trade may by Provisional Order extend the limit of such local rate to such amount as they shall think fit and prescribe for the payment of such purchase money and expenses.

Every such Provisional Order shall be confirmed in like manner as a Provisional Order under the authority of Part I of this Act, and until such confirmation such Provisional Order shall not have any operation.

Subject and according to the preceding provisions of this section two or more local authorities may jointly purchase any undertaking or so much of the same as is within their districts.

[F344 Power of sale.E+W+S

Where any tramway in any district has been opened for traffic for a period of six months the promoters may, with the consent of the Board of Trade, sell their undertaking to a person, persons, corporation, or company, or to the local authority of such district; and when any such sale has been made all the rights, powers, authorities, obligations, and liabilities of such promoters in respect to the undertaking sold shall be transferred to, vested in, and may be exercised by, and shall attach to the person, persons, corporation, company, or local authority to whom the same has been sold, in like manner as if such tramway was constructed by such person, persons, corporation, company, or local authority under the powers conferred upon them by special Act, and in reference to the same they shall be deemed to be the promoters.

Where any purchase is made by any local authority under the provisions of this section, such local authority [F4may pay the purchase money and all expenses incurred by them in making such purchase out of the like funds, and for such purposes]] shall have all and the like powers and be subject to all the like conditions as if such purchases were made under the authority of the next preceding section.