Parking in Westminster - Charges from 4th Aug!!! grrr

[Tali]

I knew they were mooting the idea a while back but I've just found out it's coming in as of 4th August

They have at least given everyone a month's grace so long as you register for "parking by phone" before it comes in.

Here's the info:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/transportandstreets/parking/wheretopark/vehicletype/motorcycle/motorcycle-parking-costs.cfm

[boredatwork]

thing is obviously id rather not pay

but you know what i'll swallow it, its central london and if (big if I know) they make decent bike parking facilities fair enough

but the worse thing for me, its pay by bloody mobile, which so far for me has never worked well!
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DAS/Test: Passed March 08!
Bikes: CG 125 and k4 750 gsx-r

[AngelGrinder]

[boredatwork]

[quote="AngelGrinder
I think it's planned that way, not sure why...but it is....government need to meed parking measures of 'X amount of free spaces' or something rediculous.[/quote]

the thing is, as much as i want to say thats ridiculous, deep down i know your probably right and sometime soon there will be some stupid statistic saying congestion in london must be down, look how easy it is too park!

i despair sometimes..
____________________
DAS/Test: Passed March 08!
Bikes: CG 125 and k4 750 gsx-r

[boredatwork]

[quote="AngelGrinder
I think it's planned that way, not sure why...but it is....government need to meed parking measures of 'X amount of free spaces' or something rediculous.[/quote]

the thing is, as much as i want to say thats ridiculous, deep down i know your probably right and sometime soon there will be some stupid statistic saying congestion in london must be down, look how easy it is too park!

i despair sometimes..
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DAS/Test: Passed March 08!
Bikes: CG 125 and k4 750 gsx-r

[stinkwheel]

I'd strongly advise you to move and never go to Westminster again.

There is no good reason to go there. Nothing useful ever comes out of the place.

I personally boycott everything contained within the M25.

I'm strongly considering placing an embargo on online shops located in that area too.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[fortknoq]

How unfortunate. typical! as soon as I'm wanting to ride to work, a-holes do this. However, ignoring associated costs, £130 month travelcard vs £150/year

[AngelGrinder]

[boredatwork]

[Bart79]

That really sucks, just got my CBT, motorbike and now I'll have to pay 150 a year only because I have a job in a center!!!! I will try to park just 5 meters after Westmister border. Have to come up with some ideas for an insulting sticker.

[Spit-Fire]

the girlfriend lives there, i dont have a choice in parking round there, hhmmm will have to think of a way to get round this one
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they say the good die young... i say we just live faster

[boredatwork]

for those affected, registering now means you avoid paying in august - not much but better than nothing i suppose...

you can do it on their website.
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DAS/Test: Passed March 08!
Bikes: CG 125 and k4 750 gsx-r

[Bart79]

one moth for free!!! I am so happy!!! Wat's next? Congestion charge?

[boredatwork]

[leiba1]

Wasn't it Westminster who brought in the first CPZ parking rules? Which council will be next to follow now that they've discovered another way of getting money in their accounts.

[raak]

Hi

Just a thought

IF at the moment you want to visit
westminster then kensington then say, shepherds bush
you simply find a space in each borough and park up.

But in future you MIGHT need to pay for a permit in EACH borough or be forced to pay the daily rate each time you park.
(which at a wild guess will increase as soon as the schemes are all set up and running and be only slightly behind what car drivers pay)

Bye bye biking freedom.

That puts bikes into exactly the same positions as cars
(residents permit, business permit, parking meter and car parks)
But 4 or 5 bikes can park in the space ONE car requires

How does this help congestion in London?

Won't a lot of people simply think Riding into work is too much hassle,
cash for bike/scooter, petrol, tax, insurance, clothing, finding a space + the danger of two wheels? and simply give up or not even start and use public transport??

So congratulations London, congestion on Tubes and buses and the roads will now increase slowing everyone down....
....WELL DONE

And before any one else suggests it, a London wide permit would be great but can you really see individual boroughs agreeing to share the cost/money amongst themselves.................

Maybe we need the mayor to get involved..?
(after all congestion is london wide)

Today westminster , tomorrow.......who knows.
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Previous bikes: Suzuki GT250A / Yamaha DT125 / NTV Honda 650 // currently Suzuki RF900

[headlamp]

What's really annoying is that if you want to go into Westminster for half a day it's £1.50, if you want to go in (as I usually do) for an 8am meeting till 9am it's £1.50.

It is completely unfair that I have to pay for a full day - I should be paying 15p!! This is nothing more then a way of making up revenue from cars not driving into the centre - what can be done ...absolutely f*ck all.
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[mattgt]

Hi

I'm not surprised at this to be honest, they say it's not going to go up, or expand, but it will. Congestion charge is coming next, probably starting at a few pounds a day to try not shock us too much, as if we're completely stupid. I really doubt this ride slow is going to work too, unless it's done in mass and consistently until they get the message that they won't get away with it.

Sorry for being so down about this, but this city is really starting to be a joke, in so many respects.

Anyway, my question is this. I have to ride into the centre (fair enough it's not in Westminster, but near) and there's a pavement area where a lot of bikes park. Mount the pavement, and park it up. Now, will places like this be charged also, or stopped completely to try push into paying in the bays?

There must be a way around this, it's getting crazy.

Matt
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Piaggio liberty 50cc, NSR125, RVF400, CBR600RR3
https://www.motorcycledirectory.co.uk

[pamery]

Friday 22 August, 9am, Hyde Park Corner

Full details kept updated at www.facebook.com - search for "Westminster Motorcycle Charging - Direct Action"

Please join us, and spread the word!

[boredatwork]

i dont have facebook - any other way to recieve info...

via pm perhaps?
____________________
DAS/Test: Passed March 08!
Bikes: CG 125 and k4 750 gsx-r

[raak]

Mattgt writes

[jbond]

The Facebook group are aiming for the next demo to be last week in Sept. Either Fri morning, 9am or Wed evening 5pm. We need a big turn out this time and some serious traffic blockage and news coverage.

There are already rumours of bikes being towed off M/C bays. The council's own meeting minutes discussed enforcement and backed away from an aggressive campaign, but that probably doesn't mean much. Covering the bike or removing a number plate no longer helps.

Expect to see CCTV being used for enforcement.

[tokarev]

I am trying to pay for a years permit for my bike, but when I phone up the number (0207 005 0055) it only has options for 1 day, or 1 week but not for the whole year as stated on their site.

How do I go about getting the years permit?

Stupid pay by phone crap.

Edit: Never mind I have done it. Doesn't seem you can buy a yearly permit by phone. Only just saw a link on their website to buy it online (today, Monday at 9 am). Hopefully I was not too late in buying it

[jbond]

Change of plans - instead of meeting at the pub next week please try to come to the Council's Built Environment Policy and Scrutiny commiittee meeting at City Hall, Westminster on Weds 3rd Sept at 7pm. Tickets for public attendance available in reception from 6pm. This is the committee that gave the go-ahead to charging motorcycles a year ago. We should be allowed to raise questions. I can think of plenty.

See this report, which forms part of Wednesday's agenda, esp section 2.

https://www3.westminster.gov.uk/csu/Policy_and_Scrutiny_Committees/Current_P_and_S_Committees_and_Task_Groups/Built_Environment_PandS/2008/3%20Sept%202008/Item%207a%20-%20Enforcement%20Strategy%20and%20Future%20of%20Parking%20V2%20(3).doc

[jbond]

On Facebook https://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67279250190

Next Demo Sunday 28 September, 11 am, departing Hyde Park Corner

This is the summary I wrote from last nights meeting and have emailed this out to a biking group:

Hi Everyone,

This is an outline on the meeting with the Alistair Gilchrist, Director of Parking for Westminster Council held last night at 7pm at the council hall.


Summary:

According to Alistair:

The parking charge for bikes was implemented recently in order to increase the number of parking bays for bikes in London as many new commuters are now travelling by bike since the introduction of the congestion charge. The bays are being filled up and there is a demand for more parking bays.

These improvement bear a cost so he thinks that bikers should pay for this. He states that the excess sum of money generated will be used for motorcycle training, signage for parking.

The members of the cabinet did not really seem to object against this as this seems that Alistair is only trying to do the best for the benefit of the community. This is what should be of utmost concern for us as they do not intend to change this scheme. Some campaigners are quite convinced that the parking fee in the near future will increase and other boroughs would possibly will be copying the same scheme.

Questions that we should be asking:

According to Alistair, we have around 14000 bikers coming in to London daily. This is a rough estimate.
Lets use a minimal figure of 10000. Using the minimal charge of £150 per year, that equates to a minimum £1.5 Million minimal revenue every year. I'm sure the actual figure will be in excess of £2 Million with most bikers paying the daily or weekly charges.

Now the costs of increasing the motorcycle parking bays according to the cabinet member report attached is around £985k once off cost. Hardly believable.
It then states that the excess revenue in the years following that will be used for things like motorcycle training, improved signage etc. They admit that the cost is once off and that there will be surplus in the following years.

Upon stating that the cost is once off and that we see no reason as to why the cost is ongoing, Alistair stated that bikes use the roads and should also pay for the maintenance of these roads. Uhm, road tax? He then stated that as bikes emit a smaller amount of CO2 they are still emitting something so they should pay just as the cars do. So electric bikes can be exempt from this parking charge. I think Alistair was trying to conjure up some excuse here.

Alistair stated that the scheme was still in the experimental phase and that make sure the PCNs issued to bikes will be dealt with lightly and that he would be most lenient towards them and even mentioned that he would excuse the first PCN. We believe that it would be difficult for councils to chase up on PCNs as the parking charge is still in the experimental phase so if you have received one I would definately contest the matter. He stated that he was quite surprised as to how the response has been and that most motorcyclists were actually paying the charge. Outrageous.

With this scheme being implemented, many motorcyclists including myself have calculated that the costs and that we are better off going back to public transport.
As all the costs of bike maintenance, insurance, MOT, tax, fuel and now the parking fee surpass or do not make it worthwhile to bike to work in London. This would defeat the objective of creating more parking bays to promote Londoners to travel by bike which was initially what they wanted to see.

Action:

There will a Sunday bike protest coming up, which you will receive further information on.

Invite all your bike friends, bike groups to participate. We need to let Alistair and the cabinet members know that there are a lot more bikers who are protesting against this parking scheme as at present he is clearly not aware of this fact as he is still running this experimental phase of the scheme. He does know about the group on facebook who oppose the scheme and I believe is keeping his ear close to the ground to hear any further grumblings or if this will just be forgotten and accepted.

We have also mentioned to Alistair that he now has all the phone numbers of the bikers and could communicate with them to know how they feel about the parking scheme, which he seemed quite open to and thought that it was a good idea. I really doubt we will hear back about that.

Ongoing we should have such protests until they decide to completely abolish this and do not dare to ever introduce this scheme again.


The message is: NO TO BIKE PARKING FEES