Bike Parking in UK Cities

I have just recently learned that Liverpool City Council does not allow Motorcycles to be parked in Pay and Display spaces and have designated Motorcycle parking bays that are wholly inadequate.

Obviously the issue is that motorcyclists cannot secure the pay and display ticket and it gets pinched. So they get a PCN for not having a ticket.

The council's solution to this is to bar motorcyclists from using the bays completely.

Shouldn't they:

1. Come down like a ton of bricks on anyone pinching tickets.
2. Provide a system that motorcyclists can use rather than excluding them completely.
3. Fix the real problem rather than creating another one.

In Belfast the traffic wardens allow Motorcycles to park in pay and display bays for free (not the official line though) so I was a little annoyed at LCCs approach.

Does this exclusion apply in any other UK city?

I know about the Westminster parking tax debacle caused by the council charging for motorcycle bays but do they prevent you from parking in a pay and display bay if you choose to?

[timwilky]

Preston requires motorcycles to pay and display for on street parking. They would also require me to display the wife's blue badge should she be my pillion.

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by RatchetJob

I know about the Westminster parking tax debacle caused by the council charging for motorcycle bays but do they prevent you from parking in a pay and display bay if you choose to?

Yes they do and they require you to pay at the CAR rate, even if the bay you parked in is adjacent to a bike bay.

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Yes they do and they require you to pay at the CAR rate, even if the bay you parked in is adjacent to a bike bay.

I think that's far enough.

I think it should be considered as a parking bay rate not a vehicle specific rate. i.e. if you want to use this 5m x 3m piece of tarmac you have to pay £x per hour. It doesn't matter if you're in a car, van, motorcycle, tuk tuk, etc.

Banning motorcycles from using the bay completely is another thing.

[Paul the 6th]

helmsley in north yorkshire, there's a "Motorcycle" button on the ticket machine. It basically prints your ticket twice, you stick one on the bike and put the other in your pocket. If your ticket gets nicked and you get a PCN, you can produce your duplicate ticket to resolve the matter, quite simple really

The fact that the traffic warden guy is absolutely sound really helps alot as he always tells me "If you're only here for 10 mins you don't need a ticket"..

[dyzio]

Aberdeen,
Just park at a 90 angle (ok, not perfect 90 degrees), that's it.

Originally Posted by Paul the 6th

helmsley in north yorkshire, there's a "Motorcycle" button on the ticket machine. It basically prints your ticket twice, you stick one on the bike and put the other in your pocket. If your ticket gets nicked and you get a PCN, you can produce your duplicate ticket to resolve the matter, quite simple really

See - a simple and effective solution to the problem.

Why have LCC been allowed to get away with this?

Originally Posted by timwilky

Preston requires motorcycles to pay and display for on street parking. They would also require me to display the wife's blue badge should she be my pillion.

Preston has lots of FREE motorcycle bays in enclosed car parks.
Market carpark, parked there for 2 weeks while doing jury duty. Most preston car parks have free bays in them. So does Blackpool come to that, and free on street parking in certain places.

[timwilky]

I only go to preston to visit the building society, walking between the car parks and the town centre is a no no for me. I want to park up, do my business and out. So yes there might be parking on the car parks, but the OP was about using on street pay and display. I have not seen any motorcycle bays at all in Preston. The council web site only says there is free motorcycle parking on the Market Hall car park. It does say there is motorcycle parking at Hill Street, but that all vehicles must pay/display

Originally Posted by timwilky

I only go to preston to visit the building society, walking between the car parks and the town centre is a no no for me.

Best bet is phone the council up and ask them. Standard for motorcycles in pay & display is you buy a ticket but keep it in your pocket, otherwise some bugger will nick it and stick it in their car.
Or you could park on the pavement. Double yellows only control on road parking. As long as it isn't liable to trip up Joe Public or in the way should be fine. (But don't hold me to that if you get nicked!)