Commentary on Sections and Schedules Miscellaneous and general Section 54: Arbitration
136.Section 54 sets out how disputes under the Act will be dealt with unless otherwise provided for. Disputes will be settled by a single arbitrator agreed by both parties. If no agreement can be reached on the identity of that single arbitrator, either party may, having informed the other, ask the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers to appoint an arbitrator.
137.If the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers notifies the parties that he is not going to appoint an arbitrator, and the parties are unable to agree on who should act as arbitrator, either party may, having informed the other, ask the ORR to appoint an arbitrator. That arbitrator may be someone from the ORR.
138.The section also allows the Secretary of State for Transport, and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, acting jointly, to make procedural rules by order governing arbitration. Such an order is to be made by statutory instrument subject to the negative resolution procedure.