Hackney Council has released its final statutory consultation on its proposed parking charges for motorcycles.
The plans have been in place since 2020, and were originally delayed for disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They have also been campaigned against by motorcycling groups such as Save London Motorcycling (SLMC) and the Greater London Motorcycle Action Group (GLMAG). Such campaigning has seen the costs of the charges reduced from what was expected to be around £14,000 per year to what is now expected to be more like £2,300 per year when paying the £10 daily rate. Additionally, the £843 (annual) resident permit is equal in price to that paid for a car over the same period. Further, the daily applies only to a small number of solo motorcycle parking bays located around Old Street, meaning that all-day motorcycle parking in Hackney will be impossible for non-residents, who will be charged an hourly rate equal to that of cars.
The charges would apply to both combustion and electric bikes, as one of the reasons cited for the implementation of the charges is to increase the number of people using active forms of transport such as cycling or walking.
The final statutory consultation is different from other consultations in that each response to it must in turn receive an individual response from the issuer of the consultation, in this case Hackney Council.
Responses to the final statutory consultation on Hackney Council’s motorcycle parking charge proposals must include reasons for opposition to the plans and should be sent to streetscene.consultations@hackney.gov.uk by 4 August 2023. Alternative solutions can also be included in the response.
