{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980/section-161",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980/section-161.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1980/66",
  "legislation_title": "Highways Act 1980",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/highways-act-1980",
  "path": "section/161",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "161",
  "heading": "Penalties for causing certain kinds of danger or annoyance.",
  "text": "(1) If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, deposits any thing whatsoever on a highway in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.\n(2) If a person without lawful authority or excuse—\n(a) lights any fire on or over a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway; or\n(b) discharges any firearm or firework within 50 feet of the centre of such a highway,\nand in consequence a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.\n(3) If a person plays at football or any other game on a highway to the annoyance of a user of the highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.\n(4) If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, allows any filth, dirt, lime or other offensive matter or thing to run or flow on to a highway from any adjoining premises, he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 38, 46"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 161(2) substituted by Highways (Amendment) Act 1986 (c. 13, SIF 59), s. 1(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 38, 46"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), ss. 38, 46"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/section/161",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:14:39.674923+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "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."
}