Statute Law Repeals - Law Commission - Ministry of Justice

11.24 The enactments in the first part of this Group (Finance) mostly related to the
public finance, in the form of Treasury grants or loans, required to construct and
improve the road between London and Holyhead in the early 19 th century. They
include provisions for controlling the functions of the various turnpike trusts that
had already acquired statutory powers to repair stretches of the road and charge
tolls to those using it. The enactments in the second part of this Group (Turnpike)
date from 1775 and were the statutory vehicles that gave these turnpike trusts
their powers to carry out the repairs and charge tolls.
Part 1 (Finance)
11.25 The following paragraphs summarise the thirteen Acts relating to financing the
construction of the London to Holyhead road.
Holyhead Roads Act of 1815
11.26 According to its long title, the purpose of the Holyhead Roads Act of 1815 158 was
“for granting to His Majesty the Sum of Twenty thousand Pounds, to be issued
and applied towards repairing Roads between London and Holyhead, by Chester,
and between London and Bangor, by Shrewsbury”.
11.27 The 1815 Act appointed Commissioners to determine which roads between (1)
London and Holyhead via Chester and (2) London and Bangor Ferry via
Shrewsbury should be constructed, altered or repaired. Part of the £20,000 made
available to the Commissioners was to be used to acquire the necessary land on
which to build the roads.
11.28 Since the purpose of the 1815 Act (the construction of the London to Holyhead
road) was completed in 1826, the whole of the Act is now unnecessary and may
be repealed.
Roads (London to Chirk) Act of 1820
11.29 The preamble to the Roads (London to Chirk) Act of 1820 159 recorded that more
money was needed to improve and alter the roads between London and Chirk 160
via Coventry, Birmingham and Shrewsbury. The 1820 Act empowered the
Commissioners appointed under the 1815 Act to decide which roads needed
improving and authorised them to carry out the necessary works. Once the
improvement works had been completed, the 1820 Act became unnecessary.
Holyhead Roads Act of 1821
11.30 The Holyhead Roads Act of 1821 161 was passed to raise more money to improve
the roads between London and Shrewsbury especially around Coventry and
Birmingham. The 1821 Act empowered the Commissioners appointed under the
1815 Act to borrow up to £31,000 to meet the cost of the improvements. The Act
became unnecessary once the works had been completed.
158 55 Geo.3 c.152.
159 1 Geo.4 c.70.
160 Chirk was then in Denbighshire, but today falls within Wrexham County Borough in Clwyd.
161 1 & 2 Geo.4 c.30.
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