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The Greater Manchester Metrolink System Byelaws

Transport for Greater Manchester, pursuant to the powers conferred upon it by the Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) Act 1988 and the Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) (No2) Act 1988 (hereinafter referred to as “the Acts’) does hereby, as owner of the System (as hereinafter defined), make the following Byelaws in respect of the System, and the conduct and carriage of Persons on Vehicles and otherwise in relation to safety and conduct upon and in respect of the System.

1. DEFINITIONS

  1. IN these Byelaws, the following expressions shall have the meanings set out below: -

    a) ‘The System’ means the Greater Manchester Light Rapid Transit System as defined in the Acts or any statutory amendment thereto including but not limited to all Vehicles, Stations and other premises, signalling and telecommunications equipment, ticket vending equipment, rails, overhead line equipment and other equipment or items whatsoever which may from time to time be part of or be used upon or in connection with the said Light Rapid Transit System.

    b) ‘TfGM’ means Transport for Greater Manchester.

    c) ‘Vehicle’ means any light rail vehicle, locomotive or other vehicle adapted to travel upon the system (whether in operational use or not).

    d) ‘Station’ means any structure or area from time to time designated by Transport for Greater Manchester for the collection or setting down of passengers from Vehicles, both on the street running and former British Rail sections of the system.

    e) ‘The Operator’ means the operator for the time being of the System as appointed by Transport for Greater Manchester.

    f) ‘Authorised Officer’ means: -
    i) in relation to the System.
    a) any Police officer acting in the execution of his duty; and
    b) any persons from time to time designated by the Operator to be an Authorised Officer; and
    ii) in relation to those parts of the System which are used jointly with the British Railways Board -
    a) any of the Persons mentioned in paragraph (i) above; and
    b) any officer, employee or agent of the British Railways Board.

    g) ‘Conditions of Carriage’ means the conditions of contract in relation to the carriage of Persons upon the System as issued and amended from time to time by the Operator.

  2. In addition: -

    a) references in these Byelaws to any ‘Persons’ shall be taken to include reference to individuals, firms, companies and other bodies as the context requires;

    b) references to the singular number shall include plural and vice versa and references to any gender shall include the other gender;

    c) the heading in these Byelaws are for ease of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of these Byelaws.

2. AUTHORITY AND PENALTIES

  1. THESE Bye-laws are made by Transport for Greater Manchester pursuant to the powers conferred upon it by Section 30 of the Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) Act 1988 and Section 10 of the Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) (No 2) Act 1988.

  2. Any Person contravening any of these Byelaws shall be liable upon summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (as defined in Section 37 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982).

  3. Any person who is reasonably suspected of contravening, or attempting to contravene, any of these Byelaws: -
    a) shall upon being requested to do so, give his name and address to any Authorised Officer;
    b) may be removed from any vehicle or from the System by force if necessary by any Authorised Officer.

  4. Without prejudice to Byelaws 2(2) and 2(3) above, the Operator may, where a person has either been convicted of an offence on the System other than under these Byelaws, or where a Person has been convicted of any breach of these Byelaws, by written notice to the Person concerned prohibit that Person from entering any Vehicle or Station and any breach of such a prohibition shall constitute a breach of these Byelaws.

3. CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE

PERSONS who are passengers on the System shall comply with the Conditions of Carriage, these Byelaws, and, in relations to those parts of the System which are used jointly with the British Railways Board, with any Byelaws issued by the British Railways Board.

4. TICKETS AND CONCESSIONS

  1. EXCEPT with the permission of an Authorised Officer, no person shall enter any Vehicle or Station unless that person:
    a) has a valid ticket enabling him to do so; or

    b) (i) has every intention of procuring a valid ticket enabling him to do so and
    (ii) has proof of the ability to purchase a ticket enabling him to do so; or

    c) in the case of a Person entering any Station, has every intention of meeting another Person at that Station

  2. No Person shall remain upon a vehicle after the point at which his ticket ceases to be valid.

  3. No Person shall alter, deface, mutilate or destroy any ticket or use or attempt to use any ticket which shall in any material respect have been altered, defaced or mutilated.

  4. Any Person shall if so requested by any Authorised Officer deliver up his ticket for inspection to such Authorised Officer and such Authorised Officer shall be entitled to retain such ticket if it shall be found to have expired or to have been altered, defaced, mutilated or be invalid.

  5. No person (save for an Authorised Officer acting within the scope of his duties) shall sell or purchase or attempt to sell or purchase any ticket or transfer or receive or attempt to transfer or receive any partly-used ticket nor shall any Person knowingly use or attempt to use any ticket which has been sold, purchased, transferred or received in contravention of the foregoing provisions of this Byelaw.

  6. In connection with any scheme for the provision of concessionary travel on the system, no Person shall: -
    a) make use of or attempt to make use of any concession provided for by such scheme except to the extent and for such time as he may be entitled so to do, subject to do, subject to the conditions of the scheme; or
    b) (being a person entitled to make use of any such concession) obtain or attempt to obtain the use of such concession for and on behalf of any other Person.

  7. Where fares for journeys on the System vary dependent upon the time at which the ticket therefor is purchased, no Person shall make use of any ticket purchased at reduced fare outside any time constraints applicable thereto except to the extent authorised by the Conditions of Carriage.

  8. Except with the permission of an Authorised Officer, no Person shall enter or remain upon any Station for the purposes of skateboarding, roller skating, bicycle riding or any other recreational activity.

5. OBSTRUCTION OF THE SYSTEM

  1. NO unauthorised Person (whether a passenger on the System or not shall:

    a) obstruct any Vehicle; or

    b) construct, leave or operate machinery, vehicle, material, structure or other matter or move or leave any animal on or in proximity to any Vehicle or any other part of the System; or

    c) throw at or drop upon or leave upon any part of the System any item or substance of any description such as would or intended to obstruct or endanger the safe and efficient operation and working of the System.

  2. Without prejudice to Byelaw 4 (1) above, no Person shall whether intentionally or recklessly do or permit to be done anything whereby the safety or security of the System or of any Person on or upon the System (whether a passenger on the System or not) is or may be endangered.

  3. (i) No Person shall without lawful authority or reasonable excuse bring upon the System any loaded shotgun or loaded air weapon, or any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm.
    (ii) No Person shall bring or permit to remain upon the System any inflammable, explosive (as defined in the Explosives Act 1875) or corrosive gas, petrol or other spirit, liquid substance or matter which is or may become dangerous or harmful to any other Person or property.

  4. Without prejudice to any penalty incurred by the contravention of is Byelaw 5, any vehicle, machinery, material, structure or other matter or any animal left on the System or in such a position as to obstruct or interfere with the safe and efficient operation of the System may be removed by or under the direction of any Authorised Officer in such a manner as such Authorised Officer reasonably believes necessary or desirable without Transport for Greater Manchester the Operator or the Police being under any liability in respect of any loss or damage caused thereby, and may recover from the Person responsible the expenses reasonably incurred by him in doing so.

6. NO SMOKING, FIRES OR LIGHTS

  1. NO person shall smoke or carry any lighted smokeables (including but not limited to pipes, cigars or cigarettes) upon any Vehicle or upon any Station.

  2. No Person shall, without the prior written consent to the Operator, create or bring upon any part of the System any fire or other naked light whatsoever.

7. ALCOHOL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES

  1. NO person shall consume:

    a) any alcoholic beverage on any Vehicle or any Station or;

    b) any food which will soil disfigure or destroy the property of any other Person on the System or any Vehicle or any Station.

  2. No person who is in a state of intoxication or under the influence of the effects of any illegal substance shall enter or attempt to enter any Vehicle or any Station and (without prejudice to Byelaw 7 (1) above) any Authorised Officer who reasonably believes any Person to be intoxicated or under the influence of the effects of any illegal substance shall be authorised and entitled to require such a Person to leave any such Vehicle forthwith (or when it is next safe to do so) and further to leave (or not to enter) any other Vehicle or any Station.

8. ANIMALS

  1. NO person shall cause of permit to be brought into or upon or cause or permit to remain in any Vehicle or any Station any animal unless authorised by the Conditions of Carriage or any Authorised Officer and then only subject to such conditions and stipulations and to the payment of any such fare as may be specified by the Conditions of Carriage or any Authorised Officer.

  2. Nothing in these Byelaws nor in the Conditions of Carriage shall prohibit the bringing upon or the use upon the System of Guide Dogs.

  3. Subject to Byelaw 8 (1) above, it shall be the responsibility of any Person who has brought any animal upon any Vehicle or any Station to ensure that such animal does not cause nuisance or constitute an obstruction to the System or a nuisance or danger to any Person upon the System, or otherwise cause or constitute an infringement of any of these Byelaws.

  4. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Byelaw 8:
    a) No Person shall cause or permit any animal to occupy a seat on any Vehicle;

    b) No person shall leave or place any animal unattended in any Vehicle or on any Station unless authorised by the Conditions of Carriage or any Authorised Officer;

    c) Without prejudice to any penalty incurred by the contravention of this Byelaw 8, any animal brought on to any Vehicle or Station or left or placed unattended in contravention of this Byelaw 8 may be removed by or under the direction of any Authorised Officer in such a manner as such Authorised Officer reasonably believes to be necessary or desirable without Transport for Greater Manchester or the Operator or the Police being under any liability in respect of any loss or damage caused thereby.

9. BICYCLES AND LUGGAGE

  1. NO person shall cause or permit to be brought onto, or permit to remain upon any Vehicle or any Station: -
    a) any bicycle or other wheeled vehicle (save for wheelchairs, pushchairs and prams) unless authorised by the Conditions of Carriage.
    b) any luggage or other article which by reason of its nature could be reasonably expected to cause or does cause obstruction, inconvenience or danger to any Person (whether a passenger on the System or not) or damage to any property (including but not limited to the System).

  2. Without prejudice to Byelaw 9 (1) above, any item which is brought upon any Vehicle or any other part of the System shall be so controlled or placed to avoid obstruction, unnecessary inconvenience or danger to any Person (whether a passenger on the System or not) and so as to avoid damage to property (including but not limited to the System) and shall otherwise be carried, placed and controlled in accordance in all respects with these Byelaws, the Conditions of Carriage and any directions given by any Authorised Officer and in particular any permission to bring any such items upon any Vehicle or upon any Station may at any time be withdrawn by any Authorised Officer where in such Authorised Officer’s opinion it is necessary so to do for the prevention of obstruction or in the interests of safety or otherwise in order to ensure compliance with the terms of these Byelaws.

  3. Without prejudice to any penalty incurred by contravention of this Byelaw 9, if the Person in charge of any item when requested so to do by an Authorised Officer fails immediately to remove the same from any Vehicle or as the case may be from any Station, that item may be removed therefrom by or under the direction of such Authorised Officer in such manner as such Authorised Officer believes to be necessary or desirable without Transport for Greater Manchester, the Operator or the Police being under any liability in respect of a loss or damage caused thereby.

10. CONDUCT, OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE AND NOISE

NO Person whilst on the System shall: -

a) use any obscene, threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour;

b) make, create or permit any noise which may cause a nuisance or give reasonable ground for annoyance to any Person on the system.

c) use any radio, audio or video equipment in a manner which may cause nuisance or give reasonable grounds for annoyance to any other Person on the System;

d) otherwise conduct himself in a disorderly manner on or in a manner likely to offend or obstruct or cause nuisance or give reasonable grounds for annoyance to any other Person on the System.

11. CONDUCT ON THE SYSTEM

NO Person shall:

a) without reasonable excuse distract the driver on any Vehicle or otherwise obstruct any Authorised Officer in the performance of his duties whether on any Vehicle or elsewhere on the System;

b) utilise (save in a proper manner) or tamper with or damage any part of the System (including but not limited to any ticket vending machine and any public address or alarm System or emergency stop facility on any Vehicle);

c) leave or enter any Vehicle or attempt to leave or enter any Vehicle, save;
(i) when the same has come to a halt at a Station; and
(ii) in compliance with any directions which may be given by notices on any Vehicle or upon any other part of the System; and
(iii) in compliance with any directions given by any Authorised Officer;

d) cross any part of the line comprised in the System other than in a safe and orderly manner paying due care and attention to any signs and to the position and motion of Vehicles and any other vehicles or Persons and save by using the shortest possible route and otherwise in such a manner as to cause the minimum of nuisance and interference to the System and to other Persons;

e) post any bills or other matter upon any part of the System without the prior written consent of the Operator;

f) distribute documents, beg for money or busk or collect monies or sell any item of whatsoever nature for reward on the System without the prior written consent of the Operator;

g) throw or drop litter or any other item or matter on or from or leave litter on any Vehicle or on any other part of the System save in receptacles provided for that purpose;

h) spit on or otherwise soil any part of the System;

i) knowingly give any false fire, ambulance, bomb or other emergency alarm, by whatever means calculated or intended to affect or interfere with the operation of the System;

j) climb on any part of the System save for entering or leaving Vehicles in the manner permitted by these Byelaws;

k) without the authority of the Operator enter the driver’s cab of any Vehicle or Station which is from time to time: -

(i) appropriated for the exclusive use of person of the other sex; or
(ii) marked by a notice in a conspicuous position as being not open to access by the public;

l) enter any vehicle or any Station wearing clothing which is likely to soil the fabric of seats in the Vehicles, or bearing obscene or abusive words or material which may cause nuisance or inconvenience to other passengers;

m) set up temporary or permanent residence on any part of the System.

12. LOST PROPERTY

ANY Person finding any item of lost property on the System shall as soon as practicable deliver such item up to an Authorised Officer or the Operator.

13. WAITING FOR VEHICLES

PERSONS waiting for Vehicles shall conduct themselves in an orderly and reasonable manner and with due regard to the safety of other Persons (whether other passengers on the System or not).

14. PARKING OF VEHICLES

WITHOUT prejudice to the other provisions of these Byelaws, no Person shall park or drive or cause to be parked or driven any vehicle on any part of the System or otherwise in such a position or manner as is likely to cause or does cause obstruction to any Vehicle or to the System or to the Persons using or intending to use the System.

15. SPEED LIMITS

NO driver of a Vehicle shall cause or permit his Vehicle to exceed the speed indicated on a speed limit sign erected by the Operator and applying to the part of the System through which that Vehicle is travelling.

16. TRAFFIC REGULATION ORDER

IN pursuance of the powers conferred on Transport for Greater Manchester under Section 30 (2)(c) of the Greater Manchester (Light Rapid Transit System) Act 1988 no loading or unloading of any vehicles will be permitted at any time on the east side of Nicholas Croft between the south western kerbline of Back Turner Street and north western kerbline of High Street.