Local Government Act, 1946

Preliminary report.

46.—(1) The Minister may direct the road authority which made the application for the bridge order or any other road authority to prepare and furnish to him a preliminary report on any matters which he considers should be examined before the application is granted or refused, including, in particular, any of the following matters :

(a) the feasibility of the work,

(b) the probable cost of the work,

(c) the manner in which the work can best be executed,

(d) where the work is the construction of the bridge, the best situation for the bridge.

(2) The Minister shall not give a direction under subsection (1) of this section to a road authority who did not make the application for the bridge order save after consultation with that road authority.

(3) Where the Minister gives a direction under subsection (1) of this section to a road authority, he shall cause notice of the direction to be given by post to every, if any, other road authority by whom expenses of the work are proposed in the application for the bridge order to be defrayed.

(4) A road authority to whom a direction is given under subsection (1) of this section shall—

(a) comply with the direction,

(b) make any investigations (including, in particular, surveys, tests and trial borings) which they consider necessary for the purposes of preparing the preliminary report or which the Minister, whether before or after the making of the preliminary report, requires them to make,

(c) as regards any such investigation which the Minister requires them to make, inform the Minister of the results thereof.