To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers police forces in England and Wales have to control and manage traffic on (a) trunk roads and (b) local roads. (188722)

[holding answer 25 February 2008]: The police have powers on all roads to stop and direct traffic and to remove vehicles that are illegally, dangerously or obstructively parked or broken down or abandoned. They have a range of other powers connected with the enforcement of road traffic legislation. These powers are contained primarily in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.