Template Letters Cause Embarrassment For Westminster Council

May 6, 2009 - PRLog -- Suspicions were first raised when two identical emails were received by Warren Djanogly, Chairman of the No To Bike Parking Fees campaign. While he was preparing a reply to these emails, a further three identical emails were received, one of which, from Robin Parr-Davies of the UK Express Networks Forum, had Cllr. Chalkley and Mr Finegold accidentally cc’d in.

When challenged over this, one writer admitted to forwarding a template, but revealed that he had been unaware that exactly the same template had been sent to a number of other businesses and organisations, fuelling suspicions that Chalkley and Finegold had not been entirely up-front about the emails.  

In addition, the writer claimed that he had been told by Chalkley and Finegold that: ‘the charge has been reduced from £1.50 to £1, and concessions are available for residents’, which to date has not happened.

Warren Djanogly said:

“It is laughable that Cllr Chalkley would not only have to write a templated letter peppered with half truths to try and convince people to act on his behalf, but also that he would expect it to go undiscovered.

“We share the concerns of industry leaders with regard to the local economy, which is why we are trying to end a tax that has removed over £3 million from retailers in Westminster to date. Chalkley is fooling nobody, and these demonstrations will continue until this ridiculous tax is dropped.’

In response to claims that the protest was damaging to the West End, the campaign made it clear that the ride was planned for the evening in order to avoid disruption to businesses during the day.

Mr Djanogly also said:

“Any justification over covering parking costs has been more than roundly defeated as a result of the obscene sums still being raked in by this stealth tax. It is clear this is, and always has been, about nothing more than money, money, and more money, and the ordinary people who are demonstrating on Monday are not prepared to lie down and be fleeced in this way.”

The previous demonstration, which Cllr. Chalkley also tried to have stopped, passed peacefully with not a single caution despite attracting 4000 demonstrators, and riders silenced their horns in respect of a memorial service taking place for victims of the Australian Bushfires in Westminster Cathedral.

Westminster have previously caused controversy, with Cllr. Burbridge stating that demonstrations were “bully boy tactics… typical of the male species”.

For further information on the campaign, quotes or photos, please contact Warren Djanogly, campaign chair, at:
chairman@notobikeparkingfees.com
Mobile: 07802 882 681 or Charlie Lort-Phillips on 07813 138 517/charlielp@mac.com

To contact the TaxPayers’ Alliance, please contact Mark Wallace, Campaign Director of the Alliance, at:
Mark.wallace@taxpayersalliance.com
Mobile: 07736 009 548


NOTES TO EDITORS:

1)   The No To Bike Parking Fees protest group is the leading voice challenging the charges, 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 at www.notobikeparkingfees.com. Further information about the protest on 31st March 2009 can be found at www.31st-march.com
2)   Westminster City Council’s scheme involves a parking charge of £1.50 a day for every motorbike or scooter. To buy an annual parking pass now costs a minimum of £150, more than a resident’s car permit. To buy weekly passes costs £260 a year and paying the daily rate costs £450 a year. Since its introduction in August 2008, the parking tax has raised over £2,272,000 and a Freedom of Information request by the No To Bike Parking Fees campaign has revealed that only £23,000 had been spent in that time on physical parking improvements.
3)   In the Conservative Party’s key document on economic policy, “Reconstruction: Plan for a Strong Economy”, published at the Conservative Party Conference in September 2008 and signed by David Cameron and George Osborne, the first pledge in the Conservative agenda for Tax Reform is “an end to stealth taxes.” This document can be read here: http://www.conservatives.com/~/media/Files/Downloadable%2...
4)   In a letter in March to a supporter of the campaign, Robert Goodwill, Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby and Shadow Transport Minister for Roads, said ““Please note that this is not a policy set by the Conservative Party nationally but a local policy decided by Westminster councillors. I hope that this will not be replicated widely".
5)   In response to question 446/2009, Mayor Boris Johnson said about the parking tax: “I am keen to encourage the use of motorcycles in London, as evidenced by my recent announcement to allow motorcycles in bus lanes on the TLRN. I will ask TfL to discuss with Westminster as to whether the introduction of this payment has led to a reduction in the number of people using motorcycles in central London.”
6)   Copies of the emails can be requested via chairman@notobikeparkingfees.com
www.notobikeparkingfees.com

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The No To Bike Parking Fees protest group is the leading voice challenging the charges, 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 at www.notobikeparkingfees.com. The campaign is voluntary and unfunded.