This document establishes the legal framework and administrative authority governing the construction, maintenance, and regulation of public roads within Northern Ireland. The text serves as a primary legislative instrument, outlining the powers vested in the Department of the Environment regarding road infrastructure. It provides the statutory basis for land acquisition, traffic management, and the legal classification of public thoroughfares.

Legal professionals and historians utilize this order as a foundational reference for understanding the evolution of infrastructure law in Northern Ireland. The text is highly technical and intended for use by practitioners, government officials, and researchers of administrative law.