The Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (c. 29) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Background Nicholas Van Hoogstraten had claimed that the footpath through his land was not a public right of way and had therefore blocked access to it using a barn, barbed wire and old refrigeration units.

Parliamentary debates

The bill for this act passed through its stages in the House of Commons on the following dates:

First Reading 7 January 2004Hansard (House of Commons), vol. 416, col. 262Second Reading6 February 2004Hansard (House of Commons), vol. 417, col. 1091Committee 11 March 2004Hansard Standing Committee FReport and Third Reading 21 May 2004Hansard (House of Commons), vol. 421, cols. 1205 to 1209

The bill for this act passed through its stages in the House of Lords on the following dates:

First Reading24 May 2004Hansard (House of Lords), vol. 661, col. 1052Second Reading16 July 2004Hansard (House of Lords), vol. 663, cols. 1528 to 1529Committee21 October 2004Hansard (House of Lords), vol. 665 col. 929Third Reading 8 November 2004Hansard (House of Lords), vol. 666, col. 615

Provisions The act allowed made officers of a company liable for the offence of obstruction of a footpath.

Section 1 - Liability of officers etc. for obstruction by body corporate Section 1(1) inserts references to sections 137 and 137ZA of Highways Act 1980 into section 314(3) of that act.

Section 1(2) provides that section 314 of that Act applies by virtue of this section to any offence under section 137ZA(3) committed after the commencement of this Act, including one committed in respect of an order made before that commencement.

Section 2 - Commencement and short title Section 2(1) provides that the act came into force at the end of the period of two months that began on the date on which it was passed. The word "months" means calendar months.The Interpretation Act 1978, section 5 and Schedule 1 The day (that is to say, 15 November 2004) on which the act was passed (that is to say, received royal assent) is included in the period of two months.Hare v Gocher 2 QB 641, 2 All ER 673; Trow v Ind Coope (West Midlands) Ltd 2 QB 899 at 909, 2 All ER 900, CA. This means that the Act came into force on 15 January 2005.

See also Highway Act

References "Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004". Current Law Statutes 2004. Sweet & Maxwell. London. W Green. Edinburgh. 2004. Volume 2. Chapter 29. pp 29-1 to 29-2. "Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. Fourth Edition. 2009 Reissue. Volume 38(2). Page 512. "Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. 2005 Reissue. Fourth Edition. Volume 20. Page 1100.

External links The Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004, as amended from the National Archives. The Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004, as originally enacted from the National Archives. Explanatory notes to the Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004.