HL Deb 27 January 2005 vol 668 cc185-6WA
Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether traffic wardens and parking attendants are permitted to lift material used to cover a car parked in a parking bay, or a motorcycle parked on a pavement, in order to ascertain its identity and the right for the vehicle to be parked there. [HL893]

Lord Davies of Oldham

While there is no specific legislation which permits, or prohibits, the removal of vehicle covers for the purpose of establishing its identity, it is an offence under Section 43 of the Vehicle Excise Registration Act 1994 to obscure a vehicle's registration plate. Parking attendants have a legitimate interest in determining registration details if they believe a vehicle is contravening a traffic law. I understand that parking attendants do remove covers to establish a vehicle's identity and it would be, ultimately, for the courts to decide on the legality of such actions.