Hi All
We need to fight the cause, so can you pass on the details of this petition to your motorcycling contacts/ friends:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/2WheelParking/
Thanks!
I don’t get it - sorry… it’s only Westminster that is going to charge at the moment and they are subject to petitions and lobbying from MAG and friends, and ultimately it’s the councils decision… so why petition No. 10?
I’m all for supporting free and ample parking for motorbikes, but I’m afraid this one would be a slight waste of effort we’d be much better finding ways to target the councils involved surely? Isn’t that what MAG and the BMF are doing? Shouldn’t we be joining these organisations to give more weight to their protestations?
Sorry, I just think the No. 10 petitions website is badly used for stuff that should be presented in other ways, the Prime Minister will simply respond to this petition linking to the councils procedures and saying there’s nothing he can do about it, and it’ll be a waste of time for everyone involved.
The councils involved are not listening to the arguments so what about a petition aimed at the Mayors office who might actually have some power to enforce in this area?
m
Wot 'e said.
This came from the BMF 
If you’d like to speak to him directly about any issues you have please feel free: [email protected]
will do because if this is how the BMF are lobbying government then I’d like to know how they feel it will help…
I’m going to email him and ask the same question. As if this is ‘lobbying’ for parking he really shold have an idea of what hes up to.
I suspect it’s just one of the many ways they are lobbying Matt. In fact I think that this petition isn’t so much about lobbying government it’s a fairly simple way of getting people & ‘normal’ bikers talking about something that could, if we’re not carefull, pass people by…
So in my view the petition is a good idea in that it gets people thinking about this subject.
Even though it is down to local authorities pressure from an MP as a result of direct lobbying of the MP by consituents works - you only have to see the story about the home for relatives of servicemen being treated Headley Court to see this - but you need to get people thinking about the problem before they write their letters…
[Yawn]
Yes Matt, whatever.
every little effort helps
Good point Patrick - but this is the No. 10 website not the MPs site - why not set up a petition on a petition site that can be directed at the relevant MP? I’m also not nieve enough to think this is the only way they are lobbying - I just happen to think it’s a rather in-effiecent method of lobbying and leads people up the garden path.
Raising the profile of the problem however is a good point and perhaps that’s what is being aimed at here rather than a direct attempt to get anything done by it - in which case I think the BMF should be more up-front about what it’s trying to achieve rather than letting people think that this will actually do anything.
Lust - yes [yawn] indeed - as I do most times I talk to you about these kind of things.
m
Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were still going on about this.
So you yawn when I talk to you about these things do you? Well that’s probably because I would never bother to have a conversation with you in the first place as you generally have nothing interesting/ informative to say. I used to enjoy your podcasts that you kindly created for LB, sadly those appeared to dry up suddenly. Funny that.
Get a life Matthew.
Hey Lust - just for your information the first of the new series of podcasts was recorded a couple of weeks ago and is all produced and ready to go - just waiting for Jay to create a new podcast page and put it live… but jut for you here it is… as ever Shauna - engaging your mouth before you know all the facts…
once the new page is up the next one will be recorded and then we’re onto a once fortnightly show 
The stop in the podcast was down simply to the lack of studio… now fixed… incidentally…
I believe that I was very factual in what I wrote. I stated that the podcasts dried up. We haven’t had any podcasts for a few months.
Love you longtime 
ROFL!
Lets be honest it’s a little overkill dont you think!!.
The BMF have different motives regarding this IMO. They want to raise it’s profile nothing more. They have no say in legislation and probably never will have. They may tell others how wonderful they are and that they have played a part in getting laws changed and so on but lets not get sucked into the “were great” chat.
Response from the Prime Ministers Office
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page12824.asp
Freebikeparking - epetition reply
6 August 2007
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Stop local councils charging for motorbike parking.”
Signatures: 4,406
Details of Petition:
"Local councils increasingly see motorcyclists as money spinners. Charging for motorbike parking goes against the Government’s stated policy of reducing congestion and increasing environmental awareness. Those who use two wheels liberate space for essential four wheeled traffic, especially in busy urban areas, so everyone enjoys a knock-on benefit from those who choose to ride a bike. Motorbikes are more efficient and produce less harmful emissions than other forms of motorized transport. Charging for bike parking will impact most on those least able to pay, pricing essential workers out of already expensive urban areas, especially in London and other UK cities. Please Mr Blair, don’t allow local councils to charge motorbikes for parking, but urge them to take a holistic view of this issue and recognize the economic benefits of reduced congestion in the best interests of all the UK’s city dwellers.
Read the Government’s response
It is for each individual traffic authority to decide on what to charge for parking and the vehicles to which these charges should apply. The decisions by the traffic authority should reflect the objectives of their Local Transport Plan. The Government generally sees no reason why people using a parking place should not be expected to contribute towards the cost of providing and maintaining it, rather than the burden falling entirely on local council tax and business rate payers.
The Podcast is Back !!!
Yeeeeeeeeehar …Go Mattster !!
Quality !!!
I love that stuff !!!