Railway and Canal Traffic Act 1854
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Act for the better Regulation of the Traffic on Railways and Canals. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 17 & 18 Vict. c. 31 |
| Introduced by | Edward Cardwell, 1st Viscount Cardwell |
| Territorial extent | Great Britain and Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 10 July 1854 |
| Status | |
| England and Wales | Repealed by Transport Act 1962 |
| Scotland | Repealed by Transport Act 1962 |
| Republic of Ireland | In force |
| Northern Ireland | Repealed by Transport Act 1962 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Railway and Canal Traffic Act 1854 (17 & 18 Vict. c. 31), also known as Cardwell's Act, was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament regulating the operation of railways. The railways were already considered to be common carriers and thus subject to the Carriers Act 1830, but the 1854 act placed additional obligations on the railways due to their monopoly status. Each railway company was now required to take all trade offered and to set and publish the same levels of fares to all in respect of any particular service.
The act marked a milestone in English law and has also served as the foundation of similar legislation in the United States.
It is one of the Railway and Canal Traffic Acts 1854 to 1894.