{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980/section-131",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980/section-131.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1980/66",
  "legislation_title": "Highways Act 1980",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980",
  "path": "section/131",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "131",
  "heading": "Penalty for damaging highway etc.",
  "text": "(1) If a person, without lawful authority or excuse—\n(a) makes a ditch or excavation in a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, or\n(b) removes any soil or turf from any part of a highway, except for the purpose of improving the highway and with the consent of the highway authority for the highway, or\n(c) deposits anything whatsoever on a highway so as to damage the highway, or\n(d) lights any fire, or discharges any firearm or firework, within 50 feet from the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and in consequence thereof the highway is damaged,\nhe is guilty of an offence.\n(2) If a person without lawful authority or excuse pulls down or obliterates a traffic sign placed on or over a highway, or a milestone or direction post (not being a traffic sign) so placed, he is guilty of an offence; but it is a defence in any proceedings under this subsection to show that the traffic sign, milestone or post was not lawfully so placed.\n(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 131(3) substituted by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 35, 37, 38, 46 (with s. 47)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/section/131",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:14:39.674923+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
    "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
  }
}