At present motorcyclists can park all day free of charge in 'Solo Motorcycle Only' bays. You can also park in meter, Pay and Display, and Pay by Phone bays, but payment is required at the full vehicle rate, the same as for other vehicles.
However Westminster City Council is planning to introduce charges for parking in 'Solo Motorcycle Only' bays.
As part of its commitment to making motorcycle parking easier and more secure, the City of Westminster is planning to make a number of changes to improve the parking services provided to motorcyclists.
They are planning on increasing the on-street parking provision by 20% by October 2007.
The increase is being achieved through the extension of some existing 'Solo Motorcycle Only' bays, as well as the conversion of approximately 100 meter bays.
A little know fact is that at present, all existing motorcycle bays are simply an exemption to the single yellow lines. As they are not a 'parking place', any vehicle may park in them outside of controlled hours.
In order to protect the kerbside for motorcycle use only, the City of Westminster will be converting all motorcycle bays into parking places by early 2008.
This means that no vehicles other than motorcycles will be able to park in these bays at any time. It will also make identifying motorcycle bays easier as they will require a post and a sign.
The City of Westminster will also be improving facilities for riders by putting in security devices wherever possible. These devices will help to try and combat potential crime. A trail has been running with nearly 50 security devices in eight locations around the West End to identify what will best suit the roll-out of further security for motorcycles across the borough.
The City of Westminster is also looking at increasing the motorcycle provision in its car parks by 20%. At present, the council only allow season ticket holders to park in council operated car parks, but this might change with the possibility of introducing casual parking.
However, all these improvements do come at a cost, and the City of Westminster is seeking to introduce charging for motorcycle parking from May 2008. Charging for motorcyclists will be introduced zone by zone, starting in the West End and working outwards.
Motorcyclists will be charged £1.50 a day to park in any motorcycle bay across the city. There will no further charge if a motorcyclist moves to another motorcycle bay. A range of other permit options will also be available, most likely for residents.
In zones A,B,C,D and H, motorcycle bays will be reserved for solo motorcycle use 24 hours a day. The only exceptions to this will be zones E, F and G (West End, St James, Marylebone, Bryanston and Dorset Square) where motorcycle bays will be reserved for solo motorcycle use only between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday. This is due to high demand for kerbside for all motorists in these areas.
The council will use Pay by Phone technology as a mechanism for delivering motorcycle parking charges.
Tell them what you think
If you currently park in an existing motorcycle bay which could be extended? Do you have a suggestion for where a new bay could be placed? If so, please send them your thoughts by Westminster’s online feedback form providing as much detail as possible, e.g. street name, building number and the reasons for your suggestion.
