"Long way round" M25 bike protest

[hungermonkey]

Hi there,
I'm sure a lot of you already know about this, but there's a big campaign in London to get rid of the charge of parking bikes in Westminster, which otherwise is likely to spread around the country. There is a legal challenge to the 'tax' based on the fact that legally parking fines/tickets can only be used to improve traffic flow/reduce congestion, neither of which this measure achieves (quite the opposite). It is illegal to create parking charges just to raise revenue. The best, if slightly lengthy, explanation of the argument is found here: http://brokenhelix.co.uk/no-to-bike-parking-charges/

So the event, is a full lap of the M25 on saturday the 19th of June, as detailed here:
http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/

I'm going and I'm not sure if people from London/surrounding counties would like to organise their own ride in to join the main ride, should be quite an event!

On a side issue: the campaign is trying to raise funds for the legal battle, they need a final £15,000 and a donor has agreed to match every £50 donation, I'd like to give £10, are there 4 other people on there who'd like to join me and make it up to £50, in the name of UKMOC?
http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/final-fifty-donations/

[mintyhit]

I have already donated to this as I feel quite strongly about the stealth tax (I work in Westminster) even although many people argue that it is not a lot of money I feel it is the principal that counts.

If they start with parking then when does it stop, congestion charge anyone?

In addition, I already pay well over a hundred pounds a year to park outside my own house...now I have to pay another hundred to park outside my work... in a vehicle that basically causes no congestion and takes up very little space.

Anyway, if my bike is back together by then I’ll most certainly be joining the parade.

I really think we should be more like the French in this regard. Recently they attempted to ban lane-spitting (filtering) in Paris expecting bikes to cue in traffic like cars. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets and brought traffic in most major French cities to a standstill.

[Saint aka ML]

My bike is in 100's of pieces so can not attend this time but I do agree as I work and now live in westminster.

[He11cat]

Good luck ...
I have to pay to park outside my house .. they cleverley sold more permits then there are spaces!
Yet if I move one road away I don't have to pay to park.
Also NCP here now charge full wack rates for bikes... in ickle small print.
They dug up our main bike park and seem to fill other bits up with cycle metal thingmies so you can only park a MC at the end points.
Hope it goes well ..
We also got a nice letter saying we need to use greener transport in town... errr MC is greener???
So why discourage us to park near bloody town and charge me the same rate as a car if I want to park a bike in my road?
muppets ..

[mholc123]

Were is the meeting point for this ride?

[mholc123]

Oops just noticed website!