Written by Loretta Vendetta Wednesday, 03 June 2009 00:00
Next Tuesday (June 9th 2009) sees another protest by bikers dismayed by Westminster City Council's new parking charge for motorcycles. The next protest, called "Loopy Tuesday" is expected to cause extreme disruption to traffic around the Piccadilly Circus/Haymarket area on a day that co-incides with a planned tube strike.
Before every previous protest Councillor Danny Chalkley has issued statements and letters condemning the bikers action in what can only be described as an organised "smear" campagn to discredit them. This approach has back-fired on the councillor and much of his credibility as waned in recent months following inaccurate statements and "cheap" smear tactics designed to discredit the peaceful protesting bikers.
However, this time the bikers have pre-empted the councillor's actions. Warren Djanogly, the Chairman of the "No To Bike Parking Tax" Campaign has issued the following open letter:
Dear Sirs,With just a week to go before another demonstration by citizens who, having realised not only the environmental, cost- and time-saving benefits of motorcycling/scootering, but also the pleasure and the sense of freedom, are furious at the richest borough in the UK, namely Westminster’s introduction of a charging scheme to park, the anticipation for my organising committee as to the numbers that will come and support is equalled by the anticipation as to what level of desperation Cllr Danny Chalkley will sink this time, or “Desperate Dan” as he has now become affectionately known...
As always, DD’s “Letter to the press” will predictably start by his acknowledging our right to protest and the same old empty rhetoric about how his department welcomes robust debate to then follow it with some petty, or belittling remarks about how we are “thugs” and prone to ultra-vires and anti-social behaviour, and how our simple 2-hour go-slow protest will bring such huge economic devastation to local economy whilst the resulting congestion will make ever-so-hard-working parents no doubt late to put little ones to bed blah blah.
Funny, but we are yet to see an equivalent “letter” being directed at the Taxi Drivers who are also up in arms against Desperate Dan’s parking policies, or even at the Sri Lankans who have set up camp in Parliament Square, with all the congestion that has caused.
Having blown all his credibility with the local press when he referred to us as “Bully-boys” only for the same journalists, seeking a riposte, to realise that we are anything but, his last effort was to latch onto a video, posted on YouTube, of an incident that occurred during our last demo. Ignoring the fact that over 3,000 demonstrating citizens had taken part without so much as a single Police caution, a disgruntled motorist, angry at not just being held up, but being held up by a motorcycle (totally unforgivable as far as a car driver is concerned) used his considerably heavier vehicle to edge so far forward that he pushed the motorcyclist off his bike. Thankfully spared from serious injury that not only the weight of a falling bike can caused to lower limbs, but the heat of the exhaust and leaking petrol could cause, the biker was understandably keen to “have words with the car driver” who had already got out of his car showing not the slightest hint of remorse.
Ironically DD’s cheap attempt to gain some moral high ground by writing to all the press brandishing such a reaction as “thuggish”, and even going so far as to write to me demanding that I publicly state that such behaviour is “unacceptable”, this letter arrived on the same day as an email from another biker whose girlfriend had been relentlessly harassed by Westminster Council own hired “Thugs” called Bailiffs for a debt that she had categorically proved to the Council was not owed by her. Had it not been for her boyfriend remembering our campaign being assisted by Cllr Dimoldenberg, who immediately demanded action from DD’s parking hoods did the “mistake” become acknowledged. Were this an isolated incident (as the event on our last demo), I would feel it very low to try to gain an equivalent high ground so readily grasped by DD. In fact, as no doubt every reader will know someone who has suffered the same fate at the hands of Westminster’s Bailiffs, the need to qualify who the real “thugs” in this drama are has become obsolete.
So, why would DD have to resort to such extreme measures? Could it be that his, and his lackeys in the Parking Department, inability to anticipate the degree of backlash against such a deeply unpopular policy?
Reading their initial reports, it is clear that, with a history of negligible opposition to anything they have previously implemented, their assessment to the other Councillors that resistance would be small and short-lived has left them with egg on their faces. And with any fellow Councillor prepared to come out in support getting their fingers well and truly burnt (Cllr Floru facing an allegation of libel, Cllr Burbrudge facing a disciplinary panel, Cllr Harvey facing a barrage of official complaints) and Council staff deluged under a mountain of highly embarrassing FOI questions, support within is waning.
What about the residents? Surely they would support DD if he could pretend that the huge surplus his “revenue-neutral” scheme would generate (yes, we are yet to understand the concept of “revenue-neutral” making a surplus, despite asking many times) could be to their benefit. Looking good for DD when, out of all residents canvassed, only 134 wrote back disagreeing with DD’s scheme. Unfortunately for DD, whilst 134 said “no”, absolutely zero said “yes”. SO, no support there then. Ah but wait. Why not cajole several logistics and freight companies and associations into “publicly declaring” their opposition to our campaigning by way of a Westminster Council designed template letter.
This “Dirty Tricks” campaign, described by Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg as comparable to the same tactic employed by Dame Shirley Porter, so-easily rumbled, has lead to such palpable embarrassment amongst those cajoled into taking part, that questions as to why they would agree to be involved has lead to revelations as to “pay-offs” to Westminster Council, called “funding of staff” by said logistics companies. In exchange for such “funding”, said companies have enjoyed what one described as an “85% reduction in PCN’s received” and another claimed that “negotiations” with Westminster, and especially Cllr Danny Chalkley have lead to significant benefits to their members by way of reduced charges.
So, whilst we await the next installment in the DD search for any modicum of support for his ill-conceived and deeply unpopular infringement on the liberties of the least-demanding of all road-user groups, just remember the next time you battle through a jam caused by that brewery delivery truck that seems to be ignored by the same CEO’s ready to slap a ticket on you for the most minor of parking infringement, you too could take action like us by showing these petty bureaucrats that they are elected to serve us, and not themselves.
A final thought - when you remonstrate on the importance of the chore that caused you to arrive back late and thus received a ticket, please remember that, as far as Westminster Council are concerned, there is nothing as important as the work done by a Westminster Councillor. That’s why DD and his fellow Councillors have awarded themselves free parking permits for when they are conducting their “Council Duties”.
Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? If so, come and support us on Tuesday 9th June around Piccadilly Circus at 7pm.
Warren Djanogly
Chairman, No To Bike Parking Tax Campaign
This site with be covering the protest - more news next week.
Source: No To Bike Paking Fees / Nutsville
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