http://www.notobikeparkingfees.com
Westminster Council are using dirty tricks, bullying groups & forums to remove comments and then shutting them down with threats of legal action, smear campaigns against the protestors etc.
The MEGA DEMO on Tuesday, 31st March 2009 - Gather from 5pm-6pm @ Trafalgar Square.
(Bike parking on Trafalgar Square / Whitehall.) 6:15pm -> Mass Ride Out to Westminster City Hall, Victoria St.
Alternatively go direct to Westminster City Hall for 6:45 - 7pm. The aim is to get over ONE THOUSAND people there
IMPORTANT - Even if you can't make the earlier times, BE AT at Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street by 7pm
1. There's a group fighting Westminster Council on this scheme - see http://www.notobikeparkingfees.com
HOWEVER, it NEEDS many, many more of you / us to get ACTIVELY involved, rather than leaving it to the minority to do all of the work. So, if all you've done is e.g. signed an electronic petition, then there's much more you can do. Come along to the DEMOS (hey, they're actually good fun!), persuade OTHERS to do likewise, put flyers on bikes, both in and out of Westminster, etc. Remember that Westminster Council's greatest weapon is APATHY, as they could then claim that it's only a small minority who oppose the scheme / just go ahead with it anyway. Do NOT let them win through your INACTION.
2. The Westminster scheme is only implemented on an EXPERIMENTAL Traffic Order; it's NOT yet a PERMANENT scheme.
3. If we don't beat it in Westminster NOW, you know it will soon SPREAD to other London boroughs, and beyond, and no doubt the price will also keep going up.
4. We (conservatively!) estimate Westminster Council will rake in around *£4 MILLION* each year from M/C Parking Permits / Fines, when the expenditure on actually *increasing the parking spaces* was ONLY £23K, plus £59K on security device *trials*, with the further £200K+ or so that they've spent merely being on Telling us ... HOW TO PAY !
5. There is a REVIEW of the scheme by Westminster Council, which started after 18th February 2009 (the Closing Date for the official OBJECTIONs).
Over 3,000 Objections were received by Westminster! Latest news is that the results of the Review will not be announced until early April !
6. Although objections to Westminster's scheme have now closed, you can still sign a 10 Downing Street Petition until 6th March 2009. Go to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/bikeparkingfees/
7. If there is NO SIGN on a Motorcycle Only bay OR there are NO LINES or the SIGN is unreadable, payment is NOT enforcable. Even if a PCN is wrongly given, then challenge it.
8. Why not challenge all PCNs, anyway - a high proportion of PCN challenges are never contested by the Council.
(Also see the 'Home' / 'Appeal PCN' section of website.)
9. You are not alone in thinking the charging is UNfair and purely a money-making exercise by the Council.
10. We were promised security devices in the bays, yet after over six months of paying, there are still a mere 90 security devices that have been added, "on trial". Westminster also "claimed" that they had had "extensive consultation" with BMF, MAG and with Motorcycle Parking, but, all three organisations have written to refute those claims, and have confirmed that they are against charging!
Join us at: http://www.notobikeparkingfees.com
to find out much more & to talk to other moped / scooter / motorcycle riders and supporters.
PS: The next organised demo against this "Tax" is Tuesday, 31st March 2009, meet 5pm to 6pm for a demo at Trafalgar Square, then a mass rideout around 6:15pm to go on to Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street for 6:45pm [Go directly to Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street for 6:45pm if you *cannot* make Trafalgar Sqaure].
EVERYONE must come along to this demo (Trafalgar Square - 5pm+ / City Hall - 6:45pm+) to help show Westminster Council the depth / spread of feeling against this money-making scheme, and help to persuade the "Scrutiny Committee" that it needs to be ABOLISHED. No excuses - be there!
Join the THOUSAND+ of others who will be there - on your motorcycle, on foot, on a bicycle, or whatever! This will probably be the very last chance to emphasise to the Council how you feel *before* they announce the results of their Review of this scheme. PROTEST NOW or PAY MORE, FOREVER, EVERYWHERE.
More details here: http://www.notobikeparkingfees.com/events/
