Hackney Borough Council is facing a crowdfunded legal challenge to their motorcycle parking charges. Success could have national implications.
In a demonstration of strength of opinion and determination amongst motorcyclists in London, a legal challenge has been filed against Hackney Council. Hackney Council plans parking charges for residents’ motorcycles at the same level as cars. Motorcyclists commuting to work in Hackney will face charges up to £10 per day for parking.
The Council expects the charges will reduce motorcycle commuting by 70%. Yet evidence shows that modal shift from cars to motorcycles will have significant environmental benefits.
Despite a four-year campaign that has seen admissions from the Council of errors in their reports, petitions, demonstrations, and considerable pressure from campaigners, Hackney have refused to re-consider their proposals.
MAG has been working closely with Save London Motorcycling (SLM) on this issue since proposals were first revealed in 2020. Earlier this year MAG raised the issue of inappropriate parking charges in the Move on Motorcycling manifesto. MAG is continuing to push national government to intervene with guidance for local authorities.
The attempt to challenge the Council’s actions in the courts is reliant on a JustGiving crowdfunding campaign launched by SLM. A favourable outcome in the courts could establish the principle that councils cannot set motorcycle parking charges without proof that the charges are reasonable and proportionate.
MAG’s Director of Campaigns & Political Engagement, Colin Brown, said:
“It is shocking that motorcyclists feel the need to resort to expensive legal action on such an issue. Encouraging a shift from cars to motorcycles is a simple way to achieve the goals that all councils seek in their parking strategies. The unwillingness of councillors in Hackney to listen to reasonable, evidence-based arguments from people they are elected to represent is depressing. The need to resort to legal action is a demonstration of a breakdown in trust between motorcyclists and policymakers. It seems we have another example of decision makers incapable of reviewing evidence, or else simply biased against motorcycling. Good policymaking requires pragmatism and compromise – both qualities seem to be severely lacking in Hackney.”
MAG suggests that motorcyclists from all parts of the country consider contributing to the crowdfunding campaign. The implications of this legal challenge could extend far beyond a single London Borough.
Find the crowdfunding campaign here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/slmc
MAG’s Move on Motorcycling manifesto asks on parking can be found here: https://mag-uk.org/park-it/