54.—(1) Section 254(1) of the Act of 2000 is amended by inserting after paragraph (e) the following paragraph:

“(ee) overground electronic communications infrastructure and any associated physical infrastructure,”.

(2) A network operator shall be responsible for all costs incurred in the reinstatement of a road to a standard satisfactory to the road authority concerned arising from the opening of the road by the operator for the purpose of—

(a) the establishment of overground electronic communications infrastructure, or

(b) maintenance, repair, replacement or the addition or removal of overground electronic communications equipment.

(3) This section is without prejudice to section 101D of the Road Traffic Act, 1961.