Advice Please - Fines for no number plates

Advice Please - Fines for no number plates

Author
Discussion

towman

Original Poster:

14,938 posts

240 months

Monday 24th May 2004
quotequote all
One of the best things about driving an artic is that the number plates on the trailers are removable. Me & my chums either swap plates or remove them altogether. This used to penalised by a small fine, but I have heard rumours that this has changed. Can any of the BiB give m the current ruling please. Thanks.

N.B. This does not mean that we thrash around disregarding every speed limit, it`s just that there are one or two illogical scameras which are a bit of a pain in the butt.

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

245 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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My current information is that by Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, Reg 5 states that number plate assigned has to be fixed at the rear of a vehicle and if drawing a trailer then the rearmost trailer.

Failure to do so is an offence under Sect 42 Vehicles Excise & registration Act 1994 attracting a 1000 note fine. No points or disqualification involved.

The 2001 Regs also brought in a mandatory size and font and also the prohibition of fitting plates making it hard to photograph.

Now there are fertile brains on this site that I am not going to feed but there is an offence under Section 44 of the Excise Act covering the fraudulent use of a Registration Plate which attracts a 5000 note fine/and or 2 years imprisonment. Now when I was serving "fraudulent use" was defined as with intent to avoid payment of Excise duties. (Stolen licence altered and displayed to read as for current vehicle).
In R v Terry 1984 this was changed and given a wider meaning which IIRC had something to do with causing a BiB not to take an action he would have done if things ahd been normal (i.e. swapping plates not just for finacial gain but also to avoid prosecution for an offence). Unfortunately I cannnot confirm as gospel as I cannot find my reference to the case in my many notes nor can I bring it up on this box. Serving BiB/J.A. may help ?

I am unaware of any Statutory Instrument bring in points for dicky rear number plates.

DVD

tuscan_thunder

1,763 posts

247 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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so what is the situation with regard to front plates?

do you HAVE to have a front plate?

if you have a rear plate but no front plate, what are possible consequences?

jamescarter1981

94 posts

241 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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You have to have a plate on the front and rear of your car, and according to my FPN List given when i joinded the Bib,

Offence Code 481 is "Keeping/Driving without registration mark (VDR)" You can have a £30 fine, or process and VDRS (Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme) applies, but doesn't have to be offered. NOTE that VDRS does NOT apply to LGV's PCV's or Taxis. This means that you get processed, but if you got the problem sorted and have the VDRS ticket stamped by an MOT station and returned to the police within 14 days, there's no further action.

Offence code 482 is "Registration Mark not fixed in accordance with regulations" Again, £30 FPN, No VDRS

Offence Code 483 "Registration mark obscured or not easily readable" £30 FPN No VDRS, and note that this includes dirty cars, and plates covered with Snow in the winter!

All these offences are under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994.

But if it was me stopping a trailer without a plate, i'd give the driver a slap on the wrist and tell him to sort it, unless he's an asshole of course

Clear as MUD?

BliarOut

72,857 posts

240 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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What about teensy weensy plates on bikes? Is this covered by the £30 FPN?

jamescarter1981

94 posts

241 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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they'd be covered somewhere as a £30 FPN. I don't think you get points for credit card numberplates

gone

6,649 posts

264 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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BliarOut said:
What about teensy weensy plates on bikes? Is this covered by the £30 FPN?



Comes under Offence code 482!

>> Edited by gone on Tuesday 25th May 18:33

BliarOut

72,857 posts

240 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
Thanks.

Oh, and if you happen to see a blue Hornet with a very very very small plate, go easy on him guys