Removal of Vehicles
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6003300203 |
| Published date | 01 April 1960 |
| Author | S. Hebbes |
| Date | 01 April 1960 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
SUPERINTENDENT
S.
HEBBES
HB" (Traffic and Transport) Department, New Scotland Yard
Removal
of
Vehieles
THE
PROBLEMS
ARISING from the serious congestion in streets caused
by waiting vehicles have to be tackled by all police forces through-
out the country. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to draw
special attention to the provisions of The Removal of Vehicles
(England and Wales) Regulations, 1957, and to set out in detail
the action taken by the Metropolitan Police in enforcing the powers
granted under the Regulations in a reasonable and efficientmanner.
During 1954 it was found necessary for the Metropolitan Police
to remove several cars which were parked so as to cause serious
obstruction of roads in the vicinity of Exhibitions held in London.
At that time it was the duty of the owner, driver or other person
in control or in charge to remove a vehicle that had broken down
or had been left in a dangerous position, or take reasonable steps
to have it removed. Police were not empowered to remove such
a vehicle unless the person in charge had not carried out that duty
or the vehicle had been abandoned. (The Removal of Vehicles
Regulations,
1938-since
revoked).
For
the purpose of keeping order and preventing obstruction,
however, the Commissioner of Police, under the provisions of
Section 52 of the Metropolitan Police Act, 1839, gave directions
that vehicles were not permitted to remain in certain streets near
these Exhibitions and that any vehicle so left, other than by
permission of a constable in uniform, was liable to be removed.
It
was felt that because of the large number of vehicles attracted
to such events, and the increasing necessity for having to apply
such powers, an approach should be made to the Home Office to
have the matter considered during the Committee Stage of the 1954
Road
Traffic Bill (now the Road Traffic Act, 1956), with a view to
introducing up-to-date legislation on the subject.
The
result was that the powers. of the Minister of Transport
under Section 59(1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, as amended,
were extended by Section 6 of the Road Traffic Act, 1956. These
powers were invoked on 1st May, 1957, by the Removal of
Vehicles (England and Wales) Regulations, 1957, which revoked
the 1938 Regulations.
April-June
1960 85
To continue reading
Request your trial