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Covered number plates and parking - Thommo
I was in South Molton Street yesterday and noticed that all the motorbikes and mopeds were parked on the pavement with their number plates covered by white paper stuck on with tape. Clearly these people would not ride on the roads like this so I assume they have fixed these covers on after they have parked up. They would obviously be quite easy to remove so my question is, is there a law that says that parking attendants can not touch the bikes and therefore can not determine the plate number in order to issue a ticket? Plus presumably bikes can be towed away the same as cars so if the attendants can not determine the plate number would they not just call for a tow?
Covered number plates and parking - Armitage Shanks{P}
What an interesting point! Perhaps Pugugly will comment? If they really wanted the details they could get the VIN number without disturbing anything and then Swansea could supply the Reg Mark but it would be a long way round the problem if they had to wait around while the answer came up.
Covered number plates and parking - Dom F {P}
As far as I know, from my tax-evading days, wardens (and possibly police) are not allowed to interfere with a vehicle, which removing parts of it would be (ie coverings).

As to the bikes you mention, surely if wardens are not allowed to remove the coverings from the number plates, surely they'll just look at the tax disc instead? That has the registration number on it anyway!
Covered number plates and parking - BrianW
Always assuming that there is a tax disc, that it is uncovered and that it is legible.
Tax disc holders on bikes are often not waterproof and the written bits rapidly become illegible (or can be encouraged to be so?)
Covered number plates and parking - hallrob1
The story I have heard is that the bikes and scooters are allowed to park outside the shops as it is private land but are being prosecuted for crossing the pavement. The story goes that they are not allowed to tamper with anything on the bike but as mentioned you have to remove the tax disc as well as cover your numberplate. This of course means you are no longer displaying a valid tax disc so I'm not sure where that leaves you although again if it is on private land surely that no longer applies.

As to what would happen if the "wind/rain blew the paper covering the number plate away" I'm not sure.
Covered number plates and parking - volvod5_dude
The registration number is on the tax disc.
Covered number plates and parking - Pugugly {P}
I must confess I am not sertain about the rules of engagement for
Local Authority TWs as I have yet to cross swords with one, I would expect that the bylaws allowing them to operate may well differ from area to area.

Fail to display or obscuring a number plate is an offence under S43(1) of Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. This is an offence when a vehicle is in use or parked up.

Offence can be dealt with by non-endorsable fixed penalty.

I would suspect that any Police Officer would be able to use powers under S1 PACE 1984 (Powers to search Persons and Vehicles)
if he was crative enough that he suspected that the bike was nicked or moody in any way (new word learnt from Mike Brewer !).

These riders may be the victim of some urban myth that they are untouchable. (over to DVD)
Covered number plates and parking - Armitage Shanks{P}
A police officer might be able to "use powers" but what about a TW or civilian contract parking attendant?
Covered number plates and parking - Pugugly {P}
Sorry about the typos in the last post (!)

I doubt whether contracted wardens have any powers in this respect. Traffic Wardens have no pwers under PACE but have powers to issue Fixed Penalties for certain offences...I know they routinely report VEL offences and would assume that they would be empowered to issue tickets for this sort of offence.
Covered number plates and parking - THe Growler
Sad that life in UK should have become so preoccupied with petty time consuming things like this...
Covered number plates and parking - Graham
So they should either get a cover, and obscure the bike totally or remove the No. plate when parking!
They can't be ticketed with no no.plate can they?
Covered number plates and parking - Dwight Van Driver
S66 RTA 1991 mentions that Parking Attendants of Local Authority only empowered under the Act to FPN for parking offence and/or immbolise (clamp)

However 'Parking Attendant' has the same meaning as under S63A RTRA 1984 - which in my Stones is blank and I cannot pull the Regulation up on the Web. It would appear they may well have other powers which will seem strange as one minute they are working for LA under parking (civil) and Police for RFL/fail display etc.(Criminal)

PU : Just realised that Stones now on a CD Rom for 300 notes.
You interested selling last years copy (or this years cloned) to an impoverished old Plod?

DVD
Covered number plates and parking - Pugugly {P}
DVD,
I keep last year's copy at home and SWMBO hides it when she suspects I ma be coming to this site. Of course I could never clone or sell it on, damn, nose bumps into the screen........but I don't think there's anything in the small print about giving it away.
Covered number plates and parking - Dwight Van Driver
PU

I do have an 1862 Archbold's that I picked up for the princely sum of 3 pence (old coinage) many years ago. Makes interesting reading on wanton and furious driving (One or two horsepower).

Perhaps we we should re-introduce Transportation for speeding?

DVD
Covered number plates and parking - J Bonington Jagworth
"Perhaps we should re-introduce Transportation for speeding?"

Don't joke about such things - that's just the sort of idea this lot might consider!
Covered number plates and parking - BrianW
Surely speeding must be transportation be definition?