Media Coverage (Archive topic)

[ldn1702]

Something in the US: http://www.clutchandchrome.com/News/0903/News0903044.htm

WOW, this is brilliant... they're even talking about this in the USA! Actually, the way the article has been written makes me think that the author knows London very well! Maybe a few Americans will fly over to join us? LOL

[letmyspeechfree]

This is an error on the paper's part. Boris has no jurisdiction over parking in Westminster (except on Red Routes).

I believe this is how responsibility works:
1. Local councils
2. Transport for London
3. Highways Department
It's not surprising we don't have coherent, standardised transport strategies nationwide!

Boris has, however, shown himself to be a supporter of bikes and has recently introduced access to bus lanes for all 2-wheelers in Red Routes throughout London (including Westminster) for an experimental 18 month period.

But be careful, ONLY RED ROUTES! Check the signs.

[Steve]

I'm surprised (and pleased) at how much media coverage this is now getting! I expect the 31st will get really good coverage 

[Steve]

The BMF view found in the Opinion Formers section of politics.co.uk entitled "Westminster City Council – Not all motorcyclists are rogues":

http://www.politics.co.uk/opinion-formers/

 

[jbond]

Keep these coming. I'm adding them all to http://twitter.com/notobikeparkfee

I'm finding Google news and blog search for "westminster parking" and "danny chalkley" to be useful in turning these up. eg
http://blogsearch.google.co.uk/blogsearch?hl=en&q=Danny+Chalkley&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d
http://news.google.co.uk/news?pz=1&ned=uk&hl=en&q=westminster+parking&scoring=d

You do tend to get news stories about New Westminster somewhere in the USA though.

[vespa]

Another one:

http://www.woodandvale.co.uk/woodandvale/news/story.aspx?brand=NorthLondon24&category=Newswoodandvale&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newswoodandvale&itemid=WeED16%20Mar%202009%2012%3A06%3A24%3A013

[gibbo]

http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/202854-london-motorbike-scooter-parking.html

check this one too

[Martin]

Looks to me like a forum with a number of car drivers?
On that sort of forum, the 'free parking' for bikes tack is hardly going to win, so maybe a more targetted argument around the cost to the Council (WCC's own figure : £23K for the actual *spaces*) versus the money being made (~£2.5Million in only about 7 months), allied with the fact that encouraging m/cycles will actually reduce congestion for cars?  Could also sympathise that car drivers have to pay so much and line the pockets of the greedy Councils?  As for it costing so much less for m/cycles, remind people that it may be about the only affordable option remaining to those for whom a car, or public transport already costs too much, so if this goes ahead, that's also one alternative option *gone* for existing car drivers?

[upyourschalkley]

Very good points Martin, I like your change of tack on that one

I'm pretty sure most people with cars would have the attitude that if they have to pay then so should bikes.

[upyourschalkley]

Anyone checked out www.nutsville.com today?

Interesting couple of articles.

[bluext]

Looks to me like a forum with a number of car drivers?
On that sort of forum, the 'free parking' for bikes tack is hardly going to win, so maybe a more targetted argument around the cost to the Council (WCC's own figure : £23K for the actual *spaces*) versus the money being made (~£2.5Million in only about 7 months), allied with the fact that encouraging m/cycles will actually reduce congestion for cars?  Could also sympathise that car drivers have to pay so much and line the pockets of the greedy Councils?  As for it costing so much less for m/cycles, remind people that it may be about the only affordable option remaining to those for whom a car, or public transport already costs too much, so if this goes ahead, that's also one alternative option *gone* for existing car drivers?

Cars pay so should bikes

Then should it cost more to park a bike in Westminster than a car it does now if you're a resident.

or

Which services which have been traditionally been free are now to be charged for? If this goes through what's next sitting on a park bench, using a pavement next.

or

The pay by phone system barely works for car drivers, why are bikers expected to stand out in the freezing rain trying to pay for upto 20 mins, it was never intended for bike and scooters.

or

Why is a parking fine for a little scooter exactly the same for a great big lorry, is that fair.

or

Car drivers should have put up a fight when it was brought in for them


just a few counter arguments of the top of my head.

[Ogri]

I'm not sure if this counts as 'media'. I noticed on the NTBPF website there was a link to the Conservative party, whilst there I watched a short video from Mr Cameron saying how politicians should admit when they got it wrong. I also noticed a link to the Conservatives' Facebook page. I joined and left the following on their wall:

"It was interesting seeing the short video of Mr Cameron on the train talking about how it was important for all politicians to acknowledge when they were wrong.
Conservative Cllr. Danny Chalkley in Westminster has brought in a stealth tax; charging motorcyclists to park their bikes in Westminster. Despite cross-party condemnation of the scheme, Cllr. Chalkley continues penalising the solution to congestion, pollution & parking spaces in the capital.
Please Mr Cameron, remind him of his responsibilites. The motorcycle parking tax was a wrong move - public anger from bikers and Westminster's retailers is rising every day. It's the Conservatives who will pick up the tab for Cllr. Chalkley's mistake."

[billymc99]

To say that because cars are charged then scooters and motorcycles should be charged is not a statement about fairness but about envy. Fairness is about the common good. There is nothing good about envy.

[letmyspeechfree]

–CARS PAY SO WHY SHOULDN'T BIKES?–

This argument shows a complete lack of understanding about introducing any kind of legislation. To introduce any legislation there has to be either a proven demand or need.

Forcing PTW users to pay for parking because car users have to has no relevance as it does nothing to address the inherent differences between the two modes of transport.

It's like saying apples should be orange because oranges are.

Like-for-like, cars still pollute more than PTWs as, in congested city centres, cars will always take longer to reach their destination and therefore burn more fuel.
Cars will always cause more congestion than PTWs.
Cars will always be more comfortable in cold or wet weather.
Cars will always take up around 6 times more space in parking bays.
Cars will always use more natural resources to manufacture.

Until there is a law that car drivers have to drive through Westminster with the windows open and the heater turned off in all weathers, or bikes should be made bigger to take up the same space as cars, leave bikers alone.

[Martin]

Playing Devil's Advocate ..

All the above are true, but then the "we pay, so why shouldn't you" group will say that you should still pay, but just *not so much*!

Not so much space / not so much pollution / not so much congestion ==> not so much to pay!

That's why I think it's necessary to stress the advantages TO car drivers of encouraging motorcycles, such as less congestion and still an option for those who cannot afford to pay so much, also meaning that the option remains open to existing car drivers to switch to a cheaper form of travel in the future! Plus the inherent unfairness of the Council raking in millions for something costing mere thousands.

[torytax]

Very true Martin, imagine if those 16000 two wheeled riders had to switch to cars and public transport. Both the roads and the public transport would grind to a halt.

Oh shit it almost has 

[letmyspeechfree]

Martin
I take your point. My point got a bit lost in there somewhere!

I just meant that comparing the 2 is not a *reason* to charge bikes. There may be other reasons that are valid (I can't think of any) but this not one of them. This is an excuse for charging.

As you rightly point out, this probably won't carry much weight with the "we pay, so why shouldn't you" group.

[Ogri]

I always bat down the "cars pay - so should you" argument with the fact that the parking fees were brought in solely to pay for the extra spaces. That's exactly what it says on W.C.C's faq page on the charges.

Ask the person saying that we should pay if they'd be happy with continuing to pay their mortgage once it was paid off.

[bluext]

In tonight's evening standard,

Motorbikers deny 'parking hate campaign'


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23663574-details/Motorbikers+deny+%27parking+hate+campaign%27/article.do?expand=true#StartComments

[Catwoman]

So now we are a "gang of bikers" 

C.W.