Commissioners of Scotland Yard
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| Long title | An Act for repairing the High wayes and Sewers and for paving and keeping clean of the Streets in and about the Cities of London & Westminster and for reforming of Annoyances and Disorders in the Streets of and places adjacent to the said Cities and for the Regulating and Licensing of [Hackney] Coaches and for the enlarging of several strait & inconvenient Streets and Passages. |
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| Citation | 14 Car. 2 c. 2 |
| Other legislation | |
| Relates to | 2 William & Mary session 2 c.8 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Commissioners of Scotland Yard was the informal name for the Commissioners for the Streets and Wayes, a body of improvement commissioners established in 1662 to manage and regulate various areas relating to streets and traffic in the cities of London and Westminster and the borough of Southwark. They were appointed under a 1662 Act of the Parliament of England (14 Car. 2 c. 2) which expired in 1679. The Commissioners' office was attached to that of the Surveyor of the King's Works in Scotland Yard.
The 1662 Act empowered the king to appoint up to 21 commissioners, who were authorised to:
To combat an apparent problem with people throwing coal ashes into the street, the act also required every person in London, Westminster, Southwark and surrounding suburbs to sweep the area in front of their house "... every Wednesday and every Saturday in the Weeke". The act also prohibited the hooping of barrels and sawing of stones or rough timber in the streets. Rakers and scavengers were to use "... a Bell Horne Clapper or otherwise [and] shall make distinct and loud noise and give notice to the Inhabitants of theire coming ..." so "... that all persons concerned may bring forth theire respective Ashes Dust Dirt Filth and Soil to the respective Carts or Carriages". These scavengers were to be elected according to existing customs, and within 20 days rubbish collection rates (to be paid quarterly) were to be set by churchwardens and other leaders of the parish.
Under the act, "... from Michaelmas until our Lady day ..." (29 September – 25 March) from dusk to 9 p.m. every householder was required to place a candle or lantern outside "... his house next the street to enlighten the same for Passengers ...". The act also ratified a decision by sewer commissioners on 8 August 1661 to construct two new sewers to drain the area near the Palace of Whitehall.
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