SCHEDULES
SCHEDULE 13LOWER THAMES CROSSING BYELAWS
PART 1PRELIMINARY
Citation
1. These byelaws may be cited as the Lower Thames Crossing Byelaws 2025 and are deemed to have been made by the undertaker under article 51(1) (byelaws relating to the tunnel area) of the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025 and confirmed by the Secretary of State as provided for by article 51(2) of that Order.
Interpretation
2.—(1) In these byelaws unless the context otherwise requires—
“authorised person” means–
a person acting in the course of that person’s duties who—
is an employee, agent, contractor or sub-contractor of the undertaker; or
is authorised by the undertaker to exercise one or more of its functions under the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025; or
a constable, Police Community Support Officer, an officer of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, an officer of the Health and Safety Executive, a person authorised for the purposes of section 44 (powers of fire-fighters etc. in an emergency etc.) of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, a person accredited by or under section 41 (accreditation under community safety accreditation schemes) of the Police Reform Act 2002, a traffic officer, acting in the execution of that person’s duties within the tunnel area;
“the byelaws” means these byelaws;
“motor vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads;
“notice” includes a sign, signal and a digital or other display, and in appropriate circumstances, an audible announcement;
“tobacco product” has the same meaning as given in section 1 of the Tobacco Products Duty Act 1979(1) and includes a vaporiser;
“traffic officer” means an individual designated under section 2 (designation of traffic officers) of the 2004 Act;
“trailer” means a vehicle (including a horse box) designed or adapted to be towed by a motor vehicle;
“the tunnel approaches” means the southern and northern approaches to the tunnel between the barrier gantry and the portal shown on the tunnel area plan;
“the tunnel area” means the extent of the public highway to be comprised in and along the tunnel and the tunnel approaches and shown on the tunnel area plan;
“the tunnel area plan” means the plan of that description listed in Schedule 16 (documents to be certified) certified by the Secretary of State as the tunnel area plan for the purposes of the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025;
“tunnel equipment” includes plant and machinery, and any emergency, safety or communications equipment;
“tunnel infrastructure” means the structure (including the carriageway) of the tunnel area;
“tunnel” means the tunnel under the River Thames connecting Gravesend to Thurrock constructed under the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025 and shown as the tunnel on the tunnel area plan;
“the undertaker” means National Highways Limited (Company No. 09346363) of Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4LZ; and
“vaporiser” means an electronic device that can be used to deliver nicotine or other substances to a person inhaling from the device.
(2) The Interpretation Act 1978(2) applies to the interpretation of these byelaws as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.