Parking charge wrecked by vandals

Vandals have rendered a new charge to use motorcycle parking bays unenforceable.

London’s Westminster City Council, which controversially scrapped free roadside motorcycle parking, has been forced to cancel fines because signs have been defaced.

Payment of the £1 daily charge is supposed to be made by phone, quoting a location number given on signs at parking bays.

But vandals have simply painted over the details, making payment impossible.

A letter from the council’s Assistant Director of parking services, Kevin Goad, confirms a fine will not be enforced due to the vandalism.

The letter tells a rider who was issued with a fine: “I can see that the signage has been vandalised and that the required phone number information has been obliterated. In view of this evidence, I have cancelled the penalty charge notice.”

Riders who park in a bay where payment is impossible due to vandalism are advised to photograph the obscured sign and their bike and appeal any fine, citing Goad’s letter.

A spokesman for the group No to the Bike Parking Tax  said: “Whilst this campaign does not in any way condone unlawful behaviour, we are advised that any penalty charge notice issued for non-payment in a bay where any part of the sign is unreadable could be deemed unenforceable.” But he added: “As each PCN is dealt with individually, non-payment is at your own risk.”

Westminster City Council declined to comment.