£200 million Of Parking Enforcement Contracts To Be Challenged In Brussels

Oct. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- A delegation of 70 UK motorcycling citizens, both stakeholders and Westminster residents, will converge on the EU commission in Brussels on Thursday 28th to request an immediate investigation into the activities of over 40 councils in the UK over violations of EU Directives on procurement surrounding the former NCP Services Ltd, now NSL Ltd.

The group is being led by the No To Bike Parking Tax Campaign (NTBPT), who are fighting Westminster City Council (WCC) over a levy on scooters and bikes. Their investigations into the contracts revealed how NSL Ltd simply acquired, without question, contracts given by WCC to National Car Parks Limited in 2003 when the latter ditched them to appease prospective buyer, the Macquarie Investment Group.

As a new start-up company, formed by ex-employees of National Car Parks Ltd, NSL Ltd simply assumed responsibility for over £200 million of parking enforcement contract, despite the new company having no legal standing or financial probity to enter a tendering competition for a local authority contract.

A letter informing 40 hapless councils that it was "business as usual" - that when later challenged via District Auditors was claimed to be evidence of a mere "group re-organisation" - was concurrent with NSL Ltd informing everyone else that they were a separate commercial entity from the previous incumbents, National Car Parks Ltd.

The campaign explained:

“Since decriminialisation, all PCN and demands for money from parking contraventions are issued under commercial or contract law, not criminal law.

“Such demands, or tickets, are therefore are to all intents and purposes mini-contracts. If the issuer of such tickets is not properly authorised to enter a contract on behalf of the authorities with the allegedly offending motorist, it stands to reason that all PCNs written since March 2007 by NCP Services/NSL should be declared as illegitimate and refunded immediately.”

With Westminster City Council justifying its charging of motorcycle as merely covering the costs of "collection" & "enforcement", and with the contract for the collection of revenue (a pay by phone contract awarded to Verrus UK Ltd) is already under investigation for alleged rigging and violation of framework contracts, the campaign claimed that it was odds on that the enforcement contract would be equally and contemptuously in violation.

Warren Djanogly, Chairman of the NTBPT Campaign, said:

“This demand shows the motorcycling community acting to expose the arrogant abuses perpetrated by local authorities in their attempt to use motorists as a revenue generator. This is a move which should inspire drivers of all vehicles to hold councils to account for their ever more punitive policies towards road users."

Explaining why the trip was being made to Brussels, he added:

"We have already been witness to the establishment in this country closing ranks. We have also been victim to a highly prevalent dismissive phrase of ‘not in the public interest’ from those who should be monitoring these public bodies to excuse their inaction. The EU Commissioners are not so easily dissuaded”

The group will arrive in Brussels at 4pm local time (3pm UK time), arriving in France via the Eurotunnel at 1155 local time (1045 local time), and it is expected that they will be joined by members of the FFMC (French motorcycling group) and representatives of FEMA (Federation of European Motorcycling Associations) and Belgian motorcycle groups.
 
NOTES TO EDITORS:

PLEASE CONTACT FOR A FULL COPY OF THE REPORT

The No To Bike Parking Tax protest group is the leading voice challenging the motorcycle charging scheme, and has enlisted the support of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, the Drivers’ Alliance, The British Motorcycle Federation, the Motorcycle Action Group, the AA, and thousands of bikers across the UK. Further information about the campaign can be found atwww.notobikeparkingtax.com

PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PREVIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE:
http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/gallery/

VIDEOS OF THE PREVIOUS DEMONSTRATIONS CAN BE FOUND HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ojosef

For further information on the campaign, quotes or photos, please contact Warren Djanogly, campaign chair, at:

chairman@notobikeparkingtax.com
Mobile: 07802 882 681

or Charlie Lort-Phillips (Press Spokesman) on:

07813 138 517
charlie@notobikeparkingtax.com / charlielp@mac.com

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The No To Bike Parking Fees protest group is the leading voice challenging the introduction of revenue raising parking charges in Westminster, with the support of the Taxpayers' Alliance and others. Further information is at www.notobikeparkingfees.com