Found this posted on Scoobynet, its an extract from the 2002 Police reform act, Looks like if for any reason they dont like something about your car or the way you are driving they can take it.

Its not a Police state, its a Police state by the back door

TaviaRS best get that exhaust bung quickly !!!

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Section: 59 Act: Police Reform Act 2002

Subject: Vehicles used in manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance

(a) contravenes section 3 or 34 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52) (careless and inconsiderate driving and prohibition of off-road driving), and

( is causing, or is likely to cause, alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public,

he shall have the powers set out in subsection (3).

(2) A constable in uniform shall also have the powers set out in subsection (3) where he has reasonable grounds for believing that a motor vehicle has been used on any occasion in a manner falling within subsection (1).

(3) Those powers are-

(a) power, if the motor vehicle is moving, to order the person driving it to stop the vehicle;

( power to seize and remove the motor vehicle;

© power, for the purposes of exercising a power falling within paragraph (a) or (, to enter any premises on which he has reasonable grounds for believing the motor vehicle to be;

(d) power to use reasonable force, if necessary, in the exercise of any power conferred by any of paragraphs to (a) to ©.

(4) A constable shall not seize a motor vehicle in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by this section unless-

(a) he has warned the person appearing to him to be the person whose use falls within subsection (1) that he will seize it, if that use continues or is repeated; and

( it appears to him that the use has continued or been repeated after the the warning.

(5) Subsection (4) does not require a warning to be given by a constable on any occasion on which he would otherwise have the power to seize a motor vehicle under this section if-

(a) the circumstances make it impracticable for him to give the warning;

( the constable has already on that occasion given a warning under that subsection in respect of any use of that motor vehicle or of another motor vehicle by that person or any other person;

© the constable has reasonable grounds for believing that such a warning has been given on that occasion otherwise than by him; or

(d) the constable has reasonable grounds for believing that the person whose use of that motor vehicle on that occasion would justify the seizure is a person to whom a warning under that subsection has been given (whether or not by that constable or in respect the same vehicle or the same or a similar use) on a previous occasion in the previous twelve months.

(6) A person who fails to comply with an order under subsection (3)(a) is guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(7) Subsection (3)© does not authorise entry into a private dwelling house.

(8) The powers conferred on a constable by this section shall be exercisable only at a time when regulations under section 60 are in force.

(9) In this section-

"driving" has the same meaning as in the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52);

"motor vehicle" means any mechanically propelled vehicle, whether or not it is intended or adapted for use on roads; and

"private dwelling house" does not include any garage or other structure occupied with the dwelling house, or any land appurtenant to the dwelling house.

Assuming it's enforced fairly, I think it'll be a good thing, as it gives police officer's more discretionary power.

Which from what I've heard is usually a good thing, but I am aware there's always a few bad apples...

Rob.

Section 4 a and b

No worries, bung available before 12/8/03

This will be the "Anti-Cruise" act then....

If it gets a few boy racers in Nova's off the road, i dont really have a problem with it

Exactly Geoff!

Rob.

I'm sick of cleaning the little buggers out of my air filter anyway :drive1:

I believe its also aimed at stopping cruises & any large meets of "socially unacceptable cars" so goodbye to the Guildford cruises & the Box Hill Meets, Maybe even the Skoda National meet is threatened.

In Twenty years time we may realise it was the thin end of a big wedge.

But meets and "cruises" can happen in a sociable manner - have been doing for years before the Max Power crowd took over with wheelspins, sound offs and just general knobbish behaviour...

Rob.

Rob, I think you're being just a little bit harsh on Paul there.....

But fair...

And at least the act only applies to real police officers and not Trafford Centre security!

Rob.

Originally posted by robmawer in this post

But meets and "cruises" can happen in a sociable manner - have been doing for years before the Max Power crowd took over with wheelspins, sound offs and just general knobbish behaviour...

Rob.

I that's it though Rob - it's not aimed at stopping cruises that happen in a sociable manner but it is aimed at stopping Max Power style cruises. I used to enjoy going to a HUGE cruise is Slough of all places where everyone parked up and walked round and talked cars and stuff but then the idiots joined in and started street racing up/down the bath road and the police shut it down - big style (i was stopped by SIX police cars for doing nothing!)

Dave

Originally posted by TaviaRS in this post

... bung available before 12/8/03

I'm always up for a bung as long as it's in used notes...

Originally posted by DGW in this post

I'm always up for a bung....

What you get upto in your own time Dennis is your business

Trafford Centre security!

Well if you will drive through pedestrian areas......