Chalkley claims victory over sign defacing
In a regular Westminster Council meeting question and answer session way back in July 2009, the Maida Vale ward Councillor, Alastair Moss asks Councillor Danny Chalkley about motorcycle signs being defaced.
COUNCILLOR ALASTAIR MOSS TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR CITY MANAGEMENT
Is he aware that some motorcycle signs are being regularly defaced, particularly in the West End? And does he feel that’s part of an orchestrated campaign?
COUNCILLOR DANNY CHALKLEY
It is regrettable that some people choose to exercise their opposition to the Council’s Motorcycle Charging policy by defacing our signs and at one point it was a widespread problem, but thanks to the hard work of officers and also our Parking Attendants who have been very efficient in reporting this we have been able to get on top of the problem very quickly. I should say these actions are illegal and in no way affect our ability to enforce those particular bays.
COUNCILLOR ALASTAIR MOSS
Will the Council be taking action against those perpetrators and indeed those who might be enticing them through other means to do this?
COUNCILLOR DANNY CHALKLEY
We are actively seeking to find these individuals employing our CCTV network and if we have evidence we will of course take action.
Well actually Mr Chalkley those signs were paid for several times over by scooter and motorbike riders. But what do our readers think. Was Mr Chalkley correct to say that he’s ‘on top of the problem’ and who do you think has been enticing the vandalism?
January 2010
Related posts:
What happens when bikers are ignored
Morph goes to town on Westminster signs
Source:
===================================================
The official Forum can be found here http://forum.notobikeparkingtax.com
If you have a story you think needs a wider public audience please email us at:
news@nutsville.com
We opposed the charge by sending in written complaints. Chalkley ignored these complaints. We opposed the charge by protesting in a legal and safe manner. Chalkley ignored these protests.
How else are we meant to have our numerous voices heard in this so-called Democracy? At every stage WCC ignores us, so at every stage we are forced to step up our objections to this unfair, unwanted charge. Sooner or later one side will crackl. The numbers say, it won’t be us.
Westminster Council can keep replacing the signs but that won’t stop them getting damaged again and again and again. If Chalkley says he’s on top of the problem, I automatically think the opposite as he is a compulsive liar. I think the “problem” of defaced signs in motorcycle bays has only just begun. There’s lots more what that came from…. I reckon.
Dear Nutsville,
acording to your article, that meeting took place in July 2009, a lot has happened since, and if it may have been true back then it certainly is not true today. The number of bike parking signs that are vandalised nowadays has increased 20 fold at least. Everytime I ride through Westminster City I come across more and more obliterated signs.
If any biker or scooterer needs to park in Westminster, have a look around and you are sure to find a vandalised parking sign which of course makes parking free.
It looks like there is an ever growing army of angry poeple out there working hard to make sure parking stays free for bikes.
It looks like Chalkley doesn’t have a clue what’s going on, as when I ride through Westminster, loads of signs are defaced, and it seems to change every week.
Now given that Chalkley allowed only £200,000 for sign damage, and WCC have said that replacing only 35 signs cost £66,000, it looks like Chalkley will have to keep asking for more and more money to buy signs.
Way to go chalkley boy, serves you right for being such an arrogant prat!
What could chalkley do if anyone was caught, have a big show trial.
All that would do is create a martyr and force out all the illegalities of this dishonest tax in court.
If anyone does get caught damaging a sign, I’m sure they will only end up with a police caution. After all, it would be impossible to prove that the same person defaced all the signs. I know we say the signs are defaced by Captain Rathbone, but in really there are probably loads of people out there defacing the signs. There is no way Danny Chalkley or anyone else in Westminster City Council can stop it. Well, there is one way; MAKE MOTORCYCLE PARKING FREE AGAIN!
Well what else did the councillors expect would happen.
Of course chalkley was wrong to say he’s on top of it, like many of his predictions they have been proved wrong.
Westminster councillors have gravely misjudged the mood and determination of a minority group, they should have just left them alone.
Wonderfull point of view…
If you don’t agree with something, vandalize. Really rational and evolved. True evolution from Homo Abilis. It’s just like watching the intro to 2010: A Space Odissey.
It’s this kind of thinking that makes legislators look at us like inferior minded people.
You know what? Vandalizing is the tool of those that cannot use reason and intelligence to achieve their goals. This applies to all walks of life. In essence you are supporting acts of vandalization everywhere, even to your own property. Do you like it when you come back to your car/scooter to see some idiot scratched it? Me neither. THAT is why vandalization is not to be encouraged.
@ James Coreta
Of course no one likes vandals and if stopped the person will face charges for vandalising the sign. Howether I think we can all see the differance between protesting against a tax which has been introduced against the will of nearly all bikers and someone acidently causing damage to a bike because of the lack of individual bays.
It has been pointed out that Barcalona for example has free individual motor bike bays and allows secible parking on pavements, the result is to encurage motor bikes and reduce congestion. They no doupt also spend more on their bikes as they are less likely to get damaged, and this feeds money into the local economy.