The No To Bike Parking Tax Campaign is gearing up for a protest on Monday 7th December in the evening at which a demand for a public inquiry into Westminster City Council's parking department is to be submitted.
The protest comes as the Partnership in Parking, which along with WCC is at the centre of allegations, meets at Westminster City Hall at 1030 in the morning, a meeting many activists are also planning to try to attend.
PiP and WCC are alleged to have breached WCC AND EU Codes of Procurement, Public Contract Regulations, EU Directives, and the Local Government Act 2000.
Warren Djanogly, Chairman of the campaign, said today:
'It is interesting that at a time when the Tory head office wants the electorate to view them as a credible successor to the current government, the actions of their 'local boys' at their flagship borough looks like ensuring that one of the first items on their agenda will be a complaint against the British Government for violations of EU Directives.'
The Commission of the European Communities has launched an investigation into 'the Member State, United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland for Violations of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament & the Council of March 2004 on the co-ordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts & public service contracts (O.J. 2004 L 134/114) with respect to the award of the Pay-by-Phone contract by WCC on behalf of PiP'
The case number for this investigation is SG-CDC-2008-
A large number of protestors are expected at the morning meeting at Westminster City Hall, and thousands are expected to turn out to submit the public inquiry demand at DCLG (Bressenden Place, London, SW1) in the evening (departing PARK LANE UNDERGROUND CAR PARK at 1845)
Warren Djanogly, Chairman of the campaign, said:
'Westminster seemed to think that bikers, like so many others, would roll over and accept what amounts to no more than a cash grab in disguise. What they are going to receive, however, is a bloody nose, and the exposure of fraudulent behaviour that they thought they would be able to sweep under the carpet. If it were not for this campaign, there would be no awareness of these activities, which are another shocking example of how councils are increasingly trying to get around the rules on parking and turn it into a profit-making enterprise.'
Charlie Lort-Phillips, spokesman for the Campaign, added:
"Westminster have brought the anger of thousands on themselves through the introduction of this tax on mobility, and now they are going to see what happens when the people stand up for themselves, and hold local government to account for their actions.'
NOTES TO EDITORS:
A PDF OF THE DEMAND CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.NOTOBIKEPARKINGTAX.COM
THE PIP MEETING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AT 0830 ON 7THDEC 2009 AT WESTMINSTER CITY HALL
THE RALLY IN THE EVENING STARTS FROM PARK LANE UNDERGROUND CAR PARK AT 1845AND WILL FINISH AT BRESSENDEN PLACE, SW1
USABLE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PREVIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE:
http://www.flickr.com/
VIDEOS OF THE PREVIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE
http://www.youtube.com/
For further information on the campaign, quotes or photos, please contact Warren Djanogly, campaign chair, at: chairman@notobikeparkingfees.com Mobile:
or Charlie Lort-Phillips (Press Spokesman) on: 07813 138 517 charlie@notobikeparkingfees.com / charlielp@mac.com
