Terry, I do support the fact they are charging but not giving any more, as said, good spaces, cctv, something to lock to and loads of parking then £1 isn't bad.

It just like the train strikes etc everyone will so fed up that the public support wanes.

I'm afraid that, if you judge the reaction to the Breakfast Club from those directly affected then there is already little public support outside of the biker community...

Probably isn't as they don't know and don't give shit

Be afraid be very afraid...like I said "its coming to a place near you"

Last year Camden Council stated that it was thinking of charging motorcycles and scooters to use motorcycle bays in the London Borough of Camden. So a couple of weeks ago I decided to email Councillor Chris Knight, who is Camden Council's Executive Member for Environment (and also rides a motorcycle), to see if Camden had changed its plans, as I thought Camden may have decided not to bother charging motorbikes after seeing the protests in Westminster. Unfortunately, it seems Camden still want to go ahead with a bike parking tax.

When I emailed Cllr Chris Knight, his assistant (Karen Martins) replied saying my message had been forwarded to 'parking', who would respond to my question. I get the feeling that Chris Knight is trying to distance himself from this [motorcycle parking fees] policy as he was the one that had all the details about it last year (other councillors in Camden pointed me in his direction) but now he needs to get his parking department to respond to my question. I guess he doesn't fancy being the Danny Chalkley of Camden.


Here is the response that I received this morning:

Dear Councillor Knight.

Thank you for your enquiry regarding if Camden will be considering charging motorcyclists parking in the motorcycle parking bays.

I can confirm that Camden will be looking into to charging motorcyclists to park in motorcycle parking bays. We will be looking into implementing this in the next financial year.

I trust the above information is satisfactory. If you have any questions, please contact me on 0207 974 5146 or email SyedEngineering.Hussain@camden.gov.uk.
Yours sincerely


Syed (Engineering) Hussain
Senior Engineer

If anyone wants to contact Chris Knight about motorcycle parking charges in Camden, his email address is chris.knight@camden.gov.uk and his mobile number is 07909 887534.

latest news

Dear Terence,
Many thanks to my colleague Dave who wrote to you last week.

As he mentioned, I have been slaving away with the Lawyers to ascertain exactly where we stand with regards seeking permission to Appeal. Suffice to say, if Judges got it right every time, there would not be a Court of Appeal. More on that later.

In the interim, as Dave mentioned, the fight goes on, and, with understandably long faces, our concern was that you guys might be so dejected as to want to call it a day. But, as Dave put out the call for you to show us your determination to fight to the end, boy! oh boy! did you show us.

WMBC & WESC
Last Wednesday's Morning & Evening Clubs had there best ever attendances (the morning one ensnaring the Mayor, once again). In fact, WMBC was so well attended, a splinter group demonstrated at Lambeth Bridge whilst we hit Trafalgar Sq. The double assault was getting close to WCC's claims of "paralysing" - but, only close!!

With the public being more aware & thus, less inconvenienced, support for this form of protest has been rapidly rising from many quarters. Even the bus companies, who are losing £1000's by having to re-route around Trafalgar Sq, are still pledging their support to us, whilst their Management lays into TFL, who in turn are laying into an increasingly isolated WCC.

Couple this with our exposure of the Mafia-esque styles of leadership being so prevalent under Cllrs Colin Barrow & Robert Davis, and even the hardcore blue Cllrs of WCC are slowly turning, as those who normally wouldn't dare challenge these tyrants are feeling more empowered to help us expose them. Suffice to say, pointing out that Barrow has been claiming for a handicapped son to be educated at home at over 63% more than the maximum allowed for any other child, with said child no longer living with him has certainly raised some eyebrows. And doing so whilst personally advocating the cull over large numbers of WCC staff. What a delightful fellow!!

For those still not convinced about the "imposition" it places on the public, if we are to truly keep this issue in the public domain, and not allow it to be handled behind close doors where the time-honoured political delaying tactic of "lip-service" can be used to draw it out, the WMBC & WESC must continue.

"M25" - the Great Lap of London
To allow you out-of-towners to also show your unwavering support, we are delighted to announce that (due to very popular demand) we will be re-running our lap of the M25 demo.

Entitled "M25 - The Other Way Round - Still Standing & Still Being Counted", the date for this will be Saturday 25th September 2010, and will leave Sth Mimms Service Station at 10am - circle anticlockwise stopping at both Clacketts Lane & Thurrock Services before heading back to Sth Mimms for approx 4pm. As with last time, we will be issuing stickers to all attendees to accurately count the numbers, and will be asking for a donation for the same of £2 to the fighting fund (all extra donations to Air Ambulance Charities). Will we also have printed specific Hi-Viz for sale alongside the normal "No To.." ones.

Promotional fliers & posters will hopefully be available within the next few weeks, so please help spread the word. Last time we got over 1,700 riders - let's aim for more this time.

The Legal Situation
Many thanks for the messages of support I have had regarding the possibility of facing a Costs Order against me. Suffice to say, any such order will take many months to become official, so it is of little concern at the moment. That said, it was my sole intention that no costs could be sought from any of you guys, hence my name being on the claim form, and I stick by the promise.

As mentioned earlier, we are preparing the grounds seeking leave to Appeal. Should this be viable, it must be presented to the same Judge by Aug 9th. Should he refuse, we can then apply directly to the Court of Appeal, albeit with a £750 listing fee, but then a different Judge reviews it. Thereafter, once leave is granted, we can have the Court of Appeal, together with a new panel of Judges review the case. As to costs, impossible to say at the moment, but will advise as and when.

The Fighting Fund
I fully intend to publish a full account of what has been raised at how it has been disbursed by way of lawyers' invoices.

More news next week, so, in the meantime, please attend as many WMBC or WESC as you can - cos it's them that really hurts WCC - and spread the word regarding M25

Best

Warren & the Committee

thanks to Kingston dragster

note the word TAX in title

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/new ... g-tax.html

Down here, Bournemouth put up their car parking charges a few years ago. There is practcally no bike parking at all and what there is gets full in no time and the wardens are real jobsworths. Result is I never go into Bournemouth, thus the business there is losing money.

A few years ago I could park pretty much anywhere in Great Yarmouth and I'd never used the multi-storey car park. In the past 2 years all the streets are now "residents only" parking meaning if you go into town by car you have no alternative but to use the councils car parks.

Another way of fleecing the motorist by stealth.

It's to stop ginger freaks parking outside their houses and scaring the children not a way of fleecing motorists.