Hacked off London biking group launch fundraiser to fight Hackney motorcycle parking charges

An independent London motorcycle group are attempting to raise £20,000 to take Hackney Council to court over parking charges for two-wheelers in the borough.

Save London Motorcycling began raising funds in August and have since amassed £7375 from donations. Their efforts have been backed by the Motorcycle Action Group and the British Motorcyclists Federation.

Parking charges for motorcycles came into force in Hackney as of June 10, despite years of backlash from local riders. October 2022 saw hundreds of motorcyclists stage a demo, with a later petition gaining more than 7500 signatures.

Under new rules, motorcyclists visiting the borough are being charged £1 an hour to park, which could become costly if parking regularly and for long periods. Permits have been introduced for locals, with full pricing due to come into effect in 2026/27. Here, the largest bikes of over 2001cc are set to cost £596 to park for 12 months but bikes of this size are likely to be few and far between in London.

“We are fighting this as we have advice that we have solid grounds,” a spokesperson for Save London Motorcycling said. “It will send a strong message to all councils.

“They plan to charge commuters up to £10 for all-day commuter parking, adding up to £2300 a year. We cannot let them get away with this unchallenged.”

They plan to face the local authority in court on a number of grounds including that they failed to properly balance the aim of reducing motorcycle use with a responsibility to provide adequate parking for bikes.

Hackney Council were approached but declined to comment.