Campaigners lose parking battle

Campaigners have lost a court battle against a motorcycle parking charge in London.

Appeal judges said Westminster Council’s charge was justified as “an obvious way to dampen excess demand”.

Now it’s feared other councils will follow Westminster’s example by scrapping free roadside parking for bikes.

The central London motorcycle parking charge was introduced in August 2008. Currently £1 per day, campaigners also fear it could rise following the ruling.

Upholding an earlier decision by the High Court, Lord Justice Maurice Kay said: “It is common ground that increasing demand, if evidentially well-founded, would justify charging.”

Campaigners were ordered to pay the Westminster’s legal costs and refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Warren Djanogly, chairman of No to Bike Parking Tax (NBPT), said the group planned to take the case to European courts. “We’re gutted but the fight’s not over. Now it’s to Strasbourg,” he said.

Lee Rowley, Westminster’s cabinet member for parking and transportation, said: “We have always maintained that with huge demand for on-street space in Westminster, charging motorcyclists a small sum to park was reasonable.”

NBPT has staged a string of protest rides against the charge. Find details on the next one at notobikeparkingtax.com.