# Highways Act 1980, Section 131: Penalty for damaging highway etc.

Extent: E+W

(1) If a person, without lawful authority or excuse—
(a) makes a ditch or excavation in a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, or
(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
(c) deposits anything whatsoever on a highway so as to damage the highway, or
(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,
he is guilty of an offence.
(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.
(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/section/131 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980/section-131
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.