Edinburgh Motorcycle Parking time is running out

[cenemc]

"
Dedicated Motorcycle Parking Bays in Edinburgh under Threat

Dedicated motorcycle bays in Edinburgh are under threat, if Council proposals detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO/09/76) are not modified drastically.

Under these proposals over 100 of the 150 dedicated bike bays in Edinburgh’s central Controlled Parking Zones would be reassigned as Permit Holder Parking, Shared Use bays or Pay and Display Bays.

Bikes will be able to use shared use bays free of charge, but these bays are open to other categories of vehicle such as cars and vans who would pay to use the bay as well as permit holders.

While appreciating that planners have to do a delicate balancing act trying to satisfy heavily oversubscribed parking demand in central Edinburgh, simplification and clarification of parking regulations is long overdue.  MAG is greatly concerned that the measures proposed will have a very detrimental effect on motorcyclists ability to park safely and securely in central Edinburgh.

Consequently if you ride a motorcycle, moped or scooter and live or work in Edinburgh or use these bike parking bays as a visitor NOW is the time to let the Council know what you think of their proposals if you do not want to lose dedicated motorcycle bays in Edinburgh.

Objections need to be made to the planning department before 5th March 2010. "

Quoted from http://edinburgh.mag-uk.org/BikeParkingEdit.htm

If you are going to object time is running out.

Edinburgh Council's Website  http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/Transport/Traffic%20orders/Traffic%20regulation%20orders/CEC_proposed_changes_to_the_controlled_parking_zone_by_tro_09_76

"If, having considered the effect of the advertised order, you wish to object to any aspect of the proposal, you should send details of your objection to the Council within the consultation period 5 February 2010 - 31 March 2010.

Objections may be submitted by e-mail or letter. All objections must quote the order reference, order title and your full name and address.

The postal address for objections is: Director of City Development, Waverley Court, East Market Street, EH8 8BG

The e-mail address for objections is: trafficorders@edinburgh.gov.uk


Contacts
Name: Traffic Orders
Address: 249 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ
Tel: 0131 200 2000 "

[Martin]

Thanks for the "heads up" on this one - I'll do an Objection, purely on principle!

Out of interest, do you know how busy these dedicated bays are?  Are they specifically marked out for motorcycles?

If you can gather together a few local bikers, and arrange for them all to park up, to fill (as near as possible) all of those dedicated bays, and then take photos of them full, it might make a story for the local paper and/or back up an Objection?

I'll have more of a look at it, later.

[Ogri]

I did send an objection when this subject was raised earlier.

As I understand it, instead of riding around trying to find a dedicated m/c parking bay (current situation,) you'd park in any car parking space where there was enough room to squeeze in (proposed situation.)

The biggest potential problem I can imagine is the many dozy car drivers out there who will reverse into parked bikes & drive off. A scooter parked behind a big 4X4 will have no chance of being seen.

The new system will have to be made very clear to visitors - otherwise they're going to be riding around for ages trying to find bays that don't exist.


 

[cenemc]

2 Martin,
Yes, the 'Bike bays in the center of town are frequently full to bursting.
They are clearly marked "SOLO M/C ONLY".
We managed to get some of them fitted with chain-to rails as parts of town were bike theft hotspots. Edinburgh MAG are trying to get media interest but any Objections you are willing to do will aid the fight.

[cenemc]

 UPDATES NOW ON http://edinburgh.mag-uk.org/

 the consultation period has been extended until 31 March 2010, 'to allow for the correction of a number of small errors'.

[cenemc]

Just over a week to make your voice heard!

[themanwithaplan]

I sent my objection some time ago. I objected to the removal of motorcycle bays but stated that I agreed with allowing bikes to park in car bays for free. Best of both worlds 

[ldn1702]

I sent my objection some time ago. I objected to the removal of motorcycle bays but stated that I agreed with allowing bikes to park in car bays for free. Best of both worlds 

Exactly, I totally agree with you.

[ldn1702]

Sorry guys but I really can't see what's fundamentally wrong with the proposed parking scheme for motorcycles in Edinburgh.

Motorcycles will be allowed to park FOR FREE in all shared use bays and in all pay-and-display parking places in zones 5 to 8 (where no parking places are individually marked). Yes, they propose to scrap some motorcycle dedicated bays, but if bikes can park in shared bays for free instead, what's the issue? Personally, I hate motorcycle bays, you get your bike damaged in there. I live in a borough where there are no motorcycle bays and you can park your bike in any car bay free of charge and that works fantastically well.

I haven't and will not object to the scheme in Edinburgh unless someone convinces me otherwise.

[thundergar]

Just so we are all clear... this is what proper two wheel parking looks like!!

Happens to be Geneva, very civilised, no scratches lots of space ... and TOTALLY  FREE

[torytax]

I haven't and will not object to the scheme in Edinburgh unless someone convinces me otherwise.

Well firstly we stick together, but secondly we are being treated like shit. Look at most other Country's, two wheels are welcome, 4 wheels bad.

Never lose sight that this is only about cash, that's all, all this is about is rich private companies picking on a minority group to please their shareholders.

We are fighting this because some of us can see the end of two wheeled transport altogether, yes it's really the way they are going.

So some of us have drawn a line in the sand on this one, it just happens to be about parking, but ask yourself why should you have to accept your scooter or bike being damaged whilst you're away. Do you accept that we should have no designated bays and all be crammed into 'one size fits all' bay, no of course you don't.

Car drivers wouldn't put with it, why should we?

i think most people would never dream of leaving a £15,000 bike in Westminster alone, but we shouldn't have to think like that. We have been quiet far too long, now is the time to show our teeth, we do still have some teeth don't we?

If you parked your Lexus or Mayback in the west end you would count on it still being there when you got back, but a scooter or bike rider can't. Odds are it will be lifted, that is no longer acceptable. Which is why it's  odd that London Bikers were so against our campaign, are they from London or even bikers, sorry that maybe a bit harsh, but they need to step back and take a look sometimes at the lifestyle they bought into it may not be there for very much longer with that attitude.

Don't just play the game, live it.

Realistically it was only about ten LB members that poured cold water on us and became all PC, but there was no intervention from the mods.It was all about etiquette and political correctness, wake up LB, I've been on bikes since about 14, and have a real London family, but still didn't fit into LB, but that's cos i don't have a certificate to prove my credentials to the almighty click. Sorry for the rant but LB is only a brand, and doesn't have much in common with my upbringing, and introduction to bikes, bolocks to them.

The same goes for the MCIA's position, their response was good luck with your campaign, but we're too busy drinking champaign and licking the arse's of the likes of Honda and Yamaha to bother with the punters that actually buy their products. And no you can't even give out leaflets about your little problem at one of our prestigious events.
MCIA just want to keep everyone happy except the public, but the public are now looking at Nissan Micra's, where once their first choice would have been two wheels. Shame on them!

I know you're with us on this one LDN, you just nearly got brainwashed by the media spin there, as punters that enjoy two wheels, it's almost as if we don't count. Don't get sucked in by the media spin, we deserve more, a lot more.

We are now changing that, watch NoTo grow and morph into something else when we win this one.

France is coming to the UK at last.

Just remember enough is enough, we are honest and right, they are just crooks, liars and mostly people who have never cocked their leg over a saddle once, we cannot let these people dictate to us.  

Anyway there is no question that we should support our Scottish brothers and Sisters, we are the Borg, that's the only way we will win, strength in unity.

[ldn1702]

But hang on a sec ToryTax, I'm not talking about Westminster' charges, of course I'm AGAINST charging for motorcycle parking and you know that. I was referring to the Edinburgh scheme which you don't seem to mention in your post above. I just can't see what's wrong with the proposals in Edinburgh. They propose FREE motorcycle parking in car bays, hence you have a lot more spaces spread across the city than if they were all crammed in motorcycle bays located in specific areas. You don't get your bike damaged as much as in motorcycle bays which are worse than crap in this country, with no security devices and no delineated spaces. As I said, I live in a borough where you can park anywhere you like, in car bays, in between cars. There are no motorcycle dedicated bays anywhere and it works brilliantly well. Bikes don't get damaged in over-crowded motorcycle bays and motorcycles have plenty of space to park in between cars.

I can see why they're not happy in Edinburgh, but I think the more we are allowed to park (for free obviously) in car bays, the better. This means more spaces for us, all over the place, and not sometimes miles away from our final destination like it is the case in Kensington & Chelsea. I've not been brain washed by the media as you say, I'm not like an LB forum member who argues for the sake of arguing, I'm just giving my personal opinion. I just can't see what's fundamentally wrong with the Edinburgh motorcycle parking proposals.

[FuBaR]

why cant they keep the 100 bays for motorcycles only and also include us free of charge in car parking spaces, etc... I wish there was a uniform parking scheme across the bloody country, because remembering and looking for which bays you can and cant park in is a bloody big hassle! Just give us dedicated parking and allow us to park in car bays, etc etc I live in lewisham but I rarely have the need to park down there, but people on here have commented on their excellent bike parking facilities.

[woodstock521]

why cant they keep the 100 bays for motorcycles only and also include us free of charge in car parking spaces, etc... I wish there was a uniform parking scheme across the bloody country, because remembering and looking for which bays you can and cant park in is a bloody big hassle! Just give us dedicated parking and allow us to park in car bays, etc etc I live in lewisham but I rarely have the need to park down there, but people on here have commented on their excellent bike parking facilities.

Uniformity and clarity is EXACTLY what is needed. For good and bad. i'd hate to be able to park in a car bay on one side of the street, but not on the other because of different councils. I'd like to be able to spot that fact at a clance, instead of having to trawl through a TMO to find out if I'll get a ticket for getting a sandwich. I'd like to know I can cut into a bus lane everywhere without having to look at the sky to find a sign telling me I can drive on the road so I can look out for the bmw driving like a prick next to me.
I guess i'd like these pricks to stop taxing fucking everything and legislating us off the road through thin lies and downright villainy.
I'll put the brakes on this rant here, but hearing about the MET giving up on the investigation pissed me off....

[FuBaR]

here is an e-mail I got from a guy at work who is also a biker

Try listing the attacks we're seeing right now. A short list would include

• Abysmal implementation of new motorcycle test. Huge drop in numbers applying.
• 50 mph limits everywhere
• Cameras everywhere
• EU wanting to ban bikes over 100bhp
• EU wanting to force every bike to have ABS (seems like a damn good idea. But if your scoot costs 2 grand, it'll add 50% to the purchase price, so sales fall)
• Hi Vis jackets
• French ban filtering
• Parking fees

All of these things combined effectively reduce the number of people on two wheels. It's too much hassle.

See, one way to defeat your enemies is to marginalise them. In this case, you reduce the numbers of people entering biking until there are such a small number left that you can legitimately say 'oh, but virtually no one rides bikes, so who cares'.

It's a problem with democracy - if the majority rule, they set the laws. Trouble is, the majority is often wrong, and it erode freedoms for vast numbers of people. In our parliamentary system, the 'majority' can be just over 35% too . . .

[woodstock521]

These people need to get their fucking uneducated noses out of biking. They know nothing about it, so should not have any say.

[ldn1702]

These people need to get their fucking uneducated noses out of biking. They know nothing about it, so should not have any say.

I wouldn't have said it better. You are totally right!

[cenemc]

Last few days for those who wish to object.

[FuBaR]

I've sent in my objection, good luck and hopefully they will keep the number of bays the same and also let you use shared bays and pay & display bays for free!

[Bandit]

'Over 15,000 electrically propelled four-wheelers left a Wiltshire Airfield today to drive through Wootton Bassett. Nobody came to watch, wave or cheer because they were so fucking boring.
The Mayor said "I wish it was like the old days, when we had thousands of patriotic bikers bringing their own sense of Brotherhood to our streets, but EU legislation, continuing indifference from within the industry and unfair taxation means that we will never see their like again. I wonder if this is one of the freedoms that we were supposed to be fighting for?" '
Wiltshire Council CEOs were later seen issuing parking tickets to all the stranded vehicles that had flat batteries.'

Like the man said: you brought into the lifestyle; now live it  before you lose it.