Highways (No. 2) Act 1766

The Highways (No. 2) Act 1766 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (6 Geo. III c. 42) concerning the administration and maintenance of highways. This Act, like other highways acts of the period, focused on regulating the statutory duties of parishes regarding road maintenance and repair. It aimed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing system of statute labour, where local inhabitants were obligated to contribute a certain amount of unpaid labour to road upkeep.

Key provisions of the Highways (No. 2) Act 1766 likely included amendments to the appointment and powers of surveyors of highways, individuals responsible for overseeing road maintenance within their respective parishes. It may have also clarified procedures for levying rates (taxes) to fund highway repairs and addressed issues related to the enforcement of statute labour obligations. The Act aimed to address common problems of neglect and disrepair on highways, which were crucial for trade, transport, and communication in 18th-century Britain. The 'No. 2' designation suggests there was a preceding Highways Act passed in the same year (1766), implying a need to further refine or amend existing legislation related to road management. It is important to note that the specific details of the Act would be found in the full text of the legislation itself.