To all those at this evenings meeting at the Mascrat Manor. No doubt all those present will be furious at the intervention of the Cheshire Police in the car park checking number plates. Ok, so I have asked a legal secretary friend who has experience in this field. These are the questions raised.

1 Was the meeting an officially organized event?
2 Was prior permission/written consent to hold the event obtained from the Landlord of the Public House?
3 Was an area specifically reserved by the Landlord for the meeting to be held? And cordoned off from public access?
4 Were club marshals present to monitor/ensure the safety of members of the public in the designated area?

Proof of 3 and 4 above may not be easy but then again the police would need to provide evidence of the contrary.

If you can answer yes to the above query then the meeting held on the evening of 10/5/2010 was an official car show. Where cars may be displayed with "Show Plates" which may not conform to current road traffic regulations.
You may have even taken your car to the show on a trailer.
Were you asked if you had driven the car to the show?
The police have no right to inspect vehicles or issue tickets other than breach of the peace warnings ie noisy exhaust or In Car Entertainment Systems and public order offenses.

Those who were issued with tickets or on the spot fines need to contact the issuing Police Force immediately stating the facts of this evenings meeting.
Your plates are only illegal when displayed on a vehicle while used on the public highway. You may have had legal plates in the vehicle to be refitted for your journey home.
Did the officer even bother to ask if you had such plates?
Only if the police were checking your cars on the exit from the meeting will they have any powers.

Take action now!! Ok so the bastards might be waiting outside next time, but you can be sure this officer will be up in front of his boss for an explanation of his actions if all those involved complain about this matter. Make the twat squirm a bit. Trevor RS200 Replica.

Hi,

The manager at Mascrat is being very helpfull. So before I post any details I'm going to wait for her to get back to me regards us using their car park.

Thanks,

Paul.

you cannot be given a ticket for illegal number plates whilst on private land unless he can prove or you were filmed driving into the car park itself. in all fairness i found one of them was friendly and chatty although i didnt hang around long after they showed up as from past experience them turning up once usually means they are on a reccy for bring special vehicle squads next time that start to test everything from tinted windows to emissions

His argument was that it's not private land as thge general public have access to it. Like I said, the pub are looking into a few things for us....Lets see what they come up with.

Even if they couldnt get you on the carpark, theres nothing to stop them waiting until you leave to fine you....

They turn up every now and then......maybe they ahve been keeping an eye on this and other forums, I dont know...

Paul.

Paul.

wow, sounds like I haven't missed much then!

Something else more productive to do with our own tax money???

I hope that anyone that was fined manages to get it recinded. But I don't hold out too much hope. The police USUALLY hold all the cards, but lets hope

Luckily I had to park near the entrance this time 'round as I rolled in late! Then again.. the only thing they could check on mine is the tints and I'm pretty sure they're legal

Good luck to everyone!

any one no whats happen with this has i was one off them people who got fine for number plates

i also got done and been digging around myself.

my ticket was issued for not having a bs reg plate (british standards) so have the garage name and also a BS marking number on it.

I did have a legal plate in my car but officer still gave me a ticket, under the road traffic act, if the public have access to any place ie car park, it is still applicable to the road traffic act therefore car must be legal ie have valid reg plate.

ive found that if car was built prior to 2001 it doesnt have to have the garage and BS markings on there - however i still belive stick on plates are still illegal.

I thought stick on plates were allowed if it was an import and there was no where else to put the numberplate?

Paul.

stick on plates are illegal, you can have a smaller numberplate if an import and it is not designed to hold a full size numberplate. thats how its stated on the dvla website.

I went up to the DVLA office in Preston with my car. Showed them there was no ideal place for a plastic plate.They agreed that my stick on plate was correct size and visible from almost every angle from the front they are happy with it and my car is a '95 so no issue there. Apparently the 2001 law applies to number plates manufactured after September 2001 not cars.

I suppose they could argue that if you car was imported after 2001 then the plate must gave been made after 2001...

Paul.