Bid to slam brake on bike parking policy
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Campaigners have challenged a controversial scheme to charge for bike parking.
The news comes as it was revealed motorbike parking scheme will make a loss of more than £430,000 this year.
Westminster Council budget papers, seen by Labour councillors, revealed that projected income from the scheme is expected to be £2,022,594, but expenditure is predicted to be £2,453,094, resulting in a loss to the council of £430,500.
Warren Djanogly, of the No to Bike Tax Campaign, said he submitted papers to the High Court for a legal challenge to the motorcycle charging scheme last week.
He said the recently released figures were 'convenient' for Westminster Council in light of the legal action.
Mr Djanogly said: "I don't believe these figures for one second.
"It's the council trying to have their cake and eat it. This is classic Westminster Council. Now they have been challenged for bringing in parking charges for profit, they've had to change their tune."
Labour leader, Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg called the charges a 'financial disaster.'
He said: "Why should Westminster residents have to subsidise these massive loss-making motorbike parking charges which nobody wants and nobody voted for?"
He called on the council to scrap the bike charges.
He added: "If the Conservatives don't scrap this loss making charge now then Labour will do so after the May elections."
But the council said parking charges were not meant to be revenue raisers. City management chief, Cllr Danny Chalkley said: "The introduction of motorcycle parking charges is not about revenue raising, it is about dealing with the increasing pressures on our roads and ensuring the city does not grind to a standstill.
"We have a challenging job of balancing the needs of everyone who comes into the city. Our policy on motorcycle parking reflects this.
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Paddington & Westminster
Times News |
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