‘Farce’: Motorcyclists and opposition councillors blast decision to press ahead with new parking charges

A motorcyclist protests outside the Town Hall last year. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Campaigners have branded a decision to rubberstamp new parking charges for motorbikes in Hackney a “farce”.

Their challenge to the emissions-based charges stalled after a council scrutiny panel decided against recommending a rethink.

Hackney’s cabinet approved the new fee structure, which also applies to electric motorbikes, in March. It later agreed to changes following a campaign by groups including Save London Motorcycling (SLM).

The decision to approve was then called in by Green councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, with backing from Conservative opposition leader Michael Levy and his deputy Simche Steinberger.

This meant the scrutiny panel had to consider whether to take no further action, refer the decision back to cabinet with recommendations for changing the policy, or refer it to the next full council meeting.

Save London Motorcycling criticised the panel’s decision not to call for more change, saying: “We urge all riders to join our campaign and stand up against this injustice.”

Cllr Binnie-Lubbock said that while he supports moves to cut polluting emissions from traffic: “This disproportionate targeting and projected reduction of a lower-emission form of transport is contrary to the council’s climate and air quality goals.”

Hackney wants to cut short stay parking by 30 per cent and estimates that the new policy will lead to a 70 per cent drop in motorcyclists parking for short periods of time.

Cllr Binnie-Lubbock told councillors that “powered two-wheelers are much less large, heavy, congestion-causing and damaging in other ways than just CO2 emissions”.

He said: “These plans would seem to make Hackney a very hostile place for powered two-wheelers or motorcycles.”

He said many riders, including food couriers, are on low incomes and the new charges would disproportionately affect them.

He also questioned if equality impact assessments had been done thoroughly, as many takeaway delivery drivers are from the Global Majority and ethnicity is a protected characteristic.

The council said there was “no identified equality impact on any of the groups with protected characteristics”.

Cllr Binnie-Lubbock noted that the charges are significantly higher than those in Westminster and neighbouring Islington.

He said all-day parking will only be allowed in solo motorbike bays – most of them in the “high demand zones” – with an estimated £2,300 annual charge for a commuter paying for ten hours parking a day.

His other concerns included the council’s claim that motorcycles emit higher levels of harmful nitrogen oxide and particulates than cars.

He also said there was no evidence to show how the policy will cut emissions.

Cllr Steinberger wanted to know if the council had considered the impact on people’s livelihoods.

Hackney’s transport boss Cllr Mete Coban (right) with Mayor Philip Glanville. Photograph: Hackney Council

Mete Coban, cabinet member for energy, waste, transport and public realm, said the council had reviewed the scheme after meeting with motorcycle campaign groups.

He added: “We understand that the campaigners we met had some concerns about moving from not paying any charges at all to some of the proposals that we made.

“We committed to phasing this in a way which recognises some of the challenges.”

He said the scheme was “one of the most consulted upon pieces of policy” produced by the council.

“We made three very significant changes. We got rid of the maximum short stay hours, which means the parkers [stay] as long as they want.

“We discounted the original prices by 80 per cent and 90 per cent for electric-powered two-wheelers, and thirdly we’ve also put forward a phasing of these prices over the next three years.

“If you take that as a package of changes, those are very significant.”

He continued: “I think the campaigners have helped us make a policy.”

Cllr Coban stressed that “not to have a charge is not an option for us”.

The council’s deputy head of parking Michael Benn told the scrutiny panel: “We are very clear that our goal is clear air quality.”

He said: “We continued to listen and take feedback along the way from the 12,000 consultees.”

He explained that the council wants to prioritise people and the way they move around Hackney, encouraging walking, cycling, and using public transport as greener options and ditching more polluting vehicles.

Benn said there are already exemptions by law for people loading and unloading goods, so “if you are delivering a takeaway, you are covered”.

He said the charges do not aim to have “consequences for gig economy workers”.

The council has been working with courier drivers, especially those around Kingsland High Street, over parking spaces whilst they are waiting to collect food.

Benn said: “Nothing that we’ve put forward means motorcyclists are not able to go out on Hackney’s streets.”

The call-in follows a petition of 7,800 signatures presented at full council last November, when campaigners from SLM staged a drive-past outside Hackney Town Hall.

Speaking at that time, Karen Neill, a winner of Britain’s Biking Hero, told the council: “Charging bikes the same as cars is fundamentally unjust.”

She said motorcycles don’t contribute to congestion and take up less parking space.

The scrutiny panel unanimously agreed that no action was needed and so the original decision takes effect immediately.

Councillors said they were satisfied that there was “extensive” consultation and that it fits with policy to tackle climate change.