STATUTE LAW REVISION: SIXTEENTH ... - Law Commission

distribution network of electricity, gas or water mains) which have
been superseded by other codes regulating the supply of
electricity, 17 gas, 18 or water, 19 or are no longer required;
(d) obsolete provisions defining the areas of supply of the former local
authority undertakers;
(e) provisions authorising the use of specific land for generating
electricity or manufacturing gas, the construction and maintenance
of works (including mains outside streets) which are obsolete in
consequence of the abandonment of works or have lapsed.
5.3 In Hereford and Worcester there were at one time two company operated
tramway systems: the Kidderminster and Stourport tramways undertaking and
the Worcester tramways undertaking. The Kidderminster and Stourport
undertaking was closed in 1929 20 and the company was recorded as being in
liquidation in 1931. 21 The Worcester undertaking was purchased by Worcester
Corporation in 1928. In the same year the corporation was empowered to
abandon the undertaking by the Worcester Corporation (Tramways and Light
Railways Abandonment) Order 1928. 22 Shortly afterwards the tramways were
closed and were replaced by buses of the Birmingham and Midland Omnibus
Company (later Midland Red) 23 and the Worcester Electric Traction Company
was wound up in 1934. 24 The legislation relating to both abandoned tramway
undertakings is spent and is proposed for repeal except for a number of
protective provisions in the Worcester undertaking’s legislation which have a
continuing operation.
5.4 Section 18 of the Worcestershire County Council Act 1969 25 enacted new
provisions for the payment of charges by riparian landowners for the use of the
17 Schedule 6 to the Electricity Act 1989. These provisions have replaced the previous code in
the Schedule to the Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act 1899, as adapted and applied by the
Electricity Act 1947, s 57 and Pt III of Sch 4.
18 Schedule 2B to the Gas Act 1986 which has superseded the original Schedule 5 to that Act
in accordance with the Gas Act 1995, ss 9(1)-(3), 17(5) and Schs 2 and 6, and the Gas Act
1995 (Appointed Day and Commencement) Order 1996 (SI 1996 No 218).
19 Water Industry Act 1991, ss 37-93, 142-150, 155-222 and Schs 6, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14,
consolidating the equivalent provisions in the Water Act 1989. The 1989 provisions in general
replaced the former code contained in Schedule 3 to the Water Act 1945.
20 K Turner, The Directory of British Tramways (1st ed 1996), pp 75-76.
21 The Register of Defunct and Other Companies (The Stock Exchange, 1960), p 254.
22 S.R. & O. 1928 No 828.
23
Turner, op. cit., p164; W H Bett and J G Gillam, Great British Tramway Networks (2nd ed
1944), pp 48-49.
24 Public Record Office, BT 31/31868/74698 (Worcester Electric Traction Co Ltd). The
undertaking had been owned by three previous companies: the Tramways Trust Co Ltd
which went into liquidation in 1889, the City of Worcester Tramways Co Ltd which went
into liquidation in 1893 and Worcester Tramways Ltd which was wound up in 1906 (Public
Record Office, BT 31/5659/39499; Turner, op. cit., p 163).
25 1969 (c.lvi).
69