united-kingdom england-and-wales police traffic
In what circumstances are police able to stop the traffic for a convoy?
<p>A bit of context:</p>
<p>Yesterday I was near Oxford Street, London, near to a T junction that has traffic lights. A few police officers on motorbikes, using whistles (not sirens), stopped oncoming traffic and allowed two Range Rovers through even though the traffic lights were red.</p>
<p>Therefore, what circumstances are police able to use there powers to stop traffic for a convoy?</p>

<p>The power stop the traffic is at <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/163?timeline=false" rel="nofollow noreferrer">s.163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(1) A person driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road must stop the vehicle on being required to do so by a constable in uniform or a <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/18/part/1?timeline=false" rel="nofollow noreferrer">traffic officer</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(These riders were probably from the Metropolitan Police <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Escort_Group_(Metropolitan_Police)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Special Escort Group</a>)</p>

<p>A police officer in uniform is entitled to issue directions to road users at all times.  Those directions override signage and laws relating to things like traffic lights.</p>

<p>There are probably police rules about when they are supposed to do so (and breaking those rules would render them liable to disciplinary action), but as far as the <em>law</em> is concerned "whenever they feel like it".</p>
