ffutures: (Default)
[personal profile] ffutures
Westminster is the only borough in the UK that charges for all motorbike parking (in designated motorbike parking bays) - the others either don't charge at all or only charge for especially secure spaces that have anchor points etc.

This came in last August, has been the subject of a lot of complaints, and they've now reduced the fees by a third. Basically, it's gone from £1.50 to £1.00 a day, from £150 to £100 a year, and all other rates reduced accordingly. But if you read the VERY small print on the sign advertising this (displayed on the post of the parking bay sign) it's also now possible for Westminster residents to get a one-year motorbike parking permit for £50 which also allows you to park in some other resident's parking bays.

Since my one-year parking fee expires at the beginning of August I'm naturally very interested in this. So I phoned Westminster's parking permit department to ask about getting a resident's permit, and they said they cost £85, the standard fee for a vehicle under 1200cc. Checked the sign again, it definitely says £50.

So either the sign is wrong or Westminster's parking permit people are full of crap. I need to get the application in by the end of the month to be sure of getting the permit in time, so sorting this out in the next couple of weeks will be interesting...

Later It turns out that the reason that they don't know about it is because the residential permit part hasn't come into effect yet, which is odd because the other parts have.

It also turns out that I can't apply until July anyway, they issue permits a maximum of a month in advance, and that if I do it in one of their "one stop shops" there will be no waiting period at all, which was not what I was told yesterday.

I HATE dealing with bureaucrats!

Date: 2009-06-18 02:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] doctor-toc.livejournal.com
They're obviously full of crap. Having worked in local government for years, I can safely say that not only do most council staff not know their arse from their elbow, but they also don't give a crap about doing their jobs properly. There are exceptions, but most are seat-warming drones who are counting the seconds before pension time.

Date: 2009-06-18 02:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mkillingworth.livejournal.com
Take a picture of the sign with your cell phone or similar and take it in to them. When confronted with the evidence, they have to find out the truth.

Protest!

Date: 2009-06-23 08:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] voidstar.livejournal.com
I hope you'll be along to the No To Bike Parking Fees demo on July 1 then.
http://www.1st-july.com/

Re: Protest!

Date: 2009-06-24 08:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
Not very likely - I have other plans that night.

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