|
|
 |
| |
Unfair tax has already raised £2.5m
• AS residents of Westminster we felt compelled to write, following seeing a press release from Westminster City Council about their motorcycle parking charging scheme, which is currently on trial, and due to be discussed at a council meeting on March 31.
The release seems to express surprise that very few residents have objected to the scheme, but that many objections come from outside Westminster/ London. Although Councillor Danny Chalkley goes on (quite rightly) to say that views from outside Westminster will carry equal weight, I’m sure he realises from the council’s own parking surveys etcetera that most motorcycles belong to commuters from outside Westminster/ London, using about the only remaining form of powered transport that is affordable, cuts congestion, reduces CO2 emissions and is suitable for commuting from outside London, and which ought to be encouraged, rather than discouraged with this extra tax. However, we were somewhat surprised to see the statement that only 153 objections were received from residents, when we know that at least 100 residents signed up to a petition objecting to the scheme.
So it would appear that Westminster council are not even bothering to take into account those 100 views, never mind the other 300 who signed the petition, which was presented at a full council meeting!
Is this the council’s own form of democracy in action?
Perhaps Cllr Chalkley would like to advise how many official letters in support of this scheme he has received, or whether there has ever been a bigger protest to a council scheme?
We will be there at the March 31 meeting to see if this unfair tax, which has (according to Westminster’s own figures) raised over £2.5million from motorcyclists in only seven months, will be abolished, or not.
A protest has also been organised for the day, with well over 1,000 expected to attend, including moped riders, scooter riders and motorcyclists from within Westminster, from within London and from outside London, along with many others who feel this is an unfair tax.
See www.31st-March.com for details, and why not come along and add your support, if you, too, think this is unfair.
Martin & Soon Han Johnson
Address supplied, W1
|
 |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
