| Westminster City Council (Central London) is the only | | | | become to the idea of introducing a parking tax for |
| council in the United Kingdom, and the rest of the | | | | motorcyclists, based on Westminster's experience:- |
| European Union, to stealth tax motorcyclists for | | | | "Officials, however, showed no enthusiasm for the |
| parking. Other councils throughout London and other | | | | idea [that is of charging for motorcycle parking], citing |
| parts of the UK have been closely monitoring | | | | practical problems and reminding committee of |
| Westminster's trial to introduce parking charges for | | | | previous protests from bikers, which had blocked |
| motorbikes and scooters, but so far, not a single local | | | | City streets". |
| authority has followed Westminster's example. | | | | We have also come across a Freedom of |
| In last week's mass email, we were advised by | | | | Information request submitted to the Royal Borough |
| Warren Djanogly, Chairman of the No To Bike | | | | of Kensington & Chelsea (another council in |
| Parking Tax campaign, that a number of councils, | | | | Central London), where they advise that they have |
| other than Westminster, had been contemplating the | | | | no plans to introduce parking charges for |
| idea of charging for motorcycle parking, but based on | | | | motorcyclists in their borough:- |
| Westminster's experience, they had abandoned the | | | | "At this time, the Royal Borough of Kensington and |
| idea, purely as a result of the enormous opposition | | | | Chelsea have no plans to introduce compulsory |
| generated by the campaign. Such opposition, so far, | | | | charges for visitors to park motorcycles". |
| has consisted of regular demonstrations with | | | | So these are two examples of local authorities, who |
| thousands of bikers invading the streets of Central | | | | may have contemplated the idea of charging for |
| London, hundreds of Freedom of Information | | | | motorcycle parking, but abandoned their plans, based |
| requests submitted to Westminster Council as a | | | | on Westminster's experience. |
| result of their parking department not answering | | | | Below is a statement from Warren Djanogly |
| emails and letters sent by the public (including their | | | | (Chairman of the No To Bike Parking tax campaign) in |
| own residents), investigations into the way the | | | | his latest mass email which says it all:- |
| Verrus pay by phone parking system has been | | | | "Make no mistake about it, we are very close to |
| introduced in Westminster, which has revealed that | | | | getting this vile & unjustifiable attack on |
| the contract awarded to Verrus UK Limited may not | | | | motorcyclists and scooterists scrapped, and thus it is |
| comply with the European Directive 2004/18/EC, | | | | crucial that we put on an "increasing" show of |
| which the campaign may use to take the council to | | | | strength as it could well be a deciding factor. We |
| the High Court should the motorcycle parking tax be | | | | need you [the campaigners] now more than ever, so |
| made permanent. Not to mention the thousands of | | | | there can be no doubt that, even after a year of |
| objections to their charging scheme that | | | | campaigning, we are NEVER going away until it [the |
| Westminster Council received by 18th February 2009 | | | | bike parking tax] is scrapped. Remember, it is not |
| and again on 1st July 2009, during a scheduled | | | | only Westminster that needs to realise this, we need |
| demonstration. | | | | EVERY OTHER COUNCIL that might dare to |
| Councillor Danny Chalkley (in charge of parking at | | | | contemplate a similar scheme know that they will be |
| Westminster City Council) is now left alone with his | | | | fought to the bitter end". |
| bike parking tax. Not only it may be illegal under | | | | The message is very clear: motorcyclists do not |
| European law, but also, he does not appear to have | | | | want to be charged for parking anywhere! The |
| the support of any other council in London and the | | | | campaign will remain and intensify until Councillor |
| rest of the UK. We have been made aware of a | | | | Danny Chalkley finally realises this. But will it be too |
| statement recently made by the City of London | | | | late? |
| Corporation, which shows how reluctant they have | | | | |