Demonstration in Slough 1998
Summary
Location:
Meeting at The Flags Pub in Chalvey, Slough (Just off Junction 6 of the M4, head towards Slough, turn right at the roundabout and it's on your right. Click here for a map.). From there we will go to the demonstration location.Time:
Saturday the 12th of December at 7.30 am. (We leave at that time so be prompt!)Why:
Despite the environmental benefits of the motorcycle, Slough council have removed the only motorcycle parking area in Slough . They only have vague plans of replacing it some time in the future.Aim:
By appearing in the local press and making a nuisance of ourselves we hope to get at least 2 secure parking areas for motorcycles in Slough centre and in general, demonstrate that motorcyclists will not allow this to happen in any town.Contact:
In person at our usual meeting place.By e-mail : Windsor and District MAG or Clive Crocker (Thames area MAG rep)
Telephone : Richard on 0956 806757 or if you can't get through, then Peter on 07971 719517
Details
Slough Council have removed the only motorcycle parking facility in Slough and have been ignoring letters and telephone messages from Windsor and District MAG representatives. To try and resolve this issue, various MAG members are organising a peaceful demonstration in Slough on Saturday the 12th of December.
We need your help! Even if you don't park or live in Slough please lend it your support. This event will help with parking problems in other areas of the country as councils will think twice before removing facilities without warning or explanation. You do not have to be a MAG member or even agree with MAG policy, this demonstration is purely to do with the right to have motorcycle parking places provided for us by the council (or at least to keep existing ones!). The more people taking part, the more effective the demonstration will be.
We intend to get as many riders to park their machines in a car park in Slough, each machine taking up one parking space but legally parked and with a valid parking ticket. With enough support we should be able to 'take over' a large section of the car park. The idea is that a certain amount of disruption will be caused because many car drivers will have additional difficulty parking on that day. Leaflets will be handed out explaining what we are doing. The demonstration will have to be done early in the morning in order to achieve the most impact - which is the big catch! On the other hand, park up your bike, go and do your Christmas shopping while the shops are pretty empty and you've killed two birds with one stone! We'll be meeting at The Flags pub where we will depart at 7.30 am to the car park.
Please help out if you can - I know 7.30am is a really un-natural hour but it has to be done!
The local and national press will be contacted, other MAG groups in the area are being contacted by the MAG Thames area representative - Clive Crocker.
Update - first contact. 2/12/98
Some very persistent phone calling has resulted in Wadmag breaking through the councils defence systems and making contact! Sarah would not be fobbed off, stayed on hold for long periods of time and finally got through. Clive also succeeded where others failed. Click here for the general gist of their response.
We even have a letter now! Click here.
The letter suggests, although it is not clear, that the council did not remove the motorcycle parking areas near the Queensmere because they may have been privatley owned. Either way there is no official motorcycle parking area in Slough and Slough council has not said it is going to provide any.
Click here for flyer to be handed out before the demo. This will be given to any motorcyclists seen parking on the Saturday before the demo.
Click here for the flyer to be handed out during the demo.
From www.motorcycleworld.co.uk -
Your Right To Park
Friday November 20thSECURE parking in every town centre is a biker's right under a new law, reckons a Scotland Yard crime-buster. The Yard's vehicle crime expert Dr Ken German says a clause in the recently-passed Crime and Disorder Act means local councils must provide thief-beating secure bike parks. He says the new law demands they get together with police to do surveys of crime hotspots and draw up a plan of action to improve things. "It's vital for bikers to bring theft to the attention of their local councils so bike crime hotspots can be pinpointed," said German. "This new clause means there's even more of an onus on councils to take anti-bike crime measures." He urged bikers to call on their council to take action.
Extract from the governments white paper on Transport -
In drawing up their local transport plans, local authorities should take account of the contribution that motorcycling can make and consider specific measures to assist motorcyclists, such as secure parking at public transport interchange sites.
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