Politics
The ones that MAG UK is working on can be found at the MAG UK web site. Please take the time to have a look around and perhaps join the activist mailing list.
These are the local issues that we have looked at -
Motorcycle Parking.
Slough
Slough used to have two areas that motorcyclists liked to use for parking. One of them had a sign declaring it as an official motorcycle parking area, the other one near Boots, had been used for many years (at least 20) by motorcyclists. These places were removed some time in 1998 and Slough Council would not respond to our letters asking about motorcycle parking.
Eventually we had a demonstration to try and get their attention. It worked to an extent but one year later they were ignoring us and there was still no parking so we had another demonstration. Slough council got in touch and said they needed some more information and that 4000 pounds had been allocated so we sent a document and in late January 2000, we had a letter back from them. They thanked us for the document and said that the information had been passed on to the department who will actually build the parking areas. So that is good news.
Update - 23rd October 2000
The engineers have been in contact several times and are about to propose four parking areas near Slough High Street. There will be chains in the ground to put through your motorcycle wheel but you will have to provide the padlock.
Update - 7th November 2001
Slough council didn't like the idea of the chains tied to the posts as they were worried that pedestrians might trip on them so we'll just be having the posts without the chains - shame. Fiona McTagart (Slough MP) got in touch with the council in May and we had a letter saying that "An imminent start is expected". I phoned today and was told that work has just started so I'll check it out tomorrow.
They have got round to building something on our favourite demonstration car park so if we do it again, it'll have to be elsewhere!
Update - 8th November 2001
Smeg! It's true, they've started work in The Grove -
Update - 29th November 2001
Here it is completed. There's a sign saying it's only for motorcycles although
there's a one hour limit for some reason. Notice the holes in the posts for a chain -
There is similar parking outside Blockbusters. Outside the library
there are some posts where bikes used to park anyway but no sign.
Maidenhead & Windsor
Our area rep, Clive Cocker, wrote a letter to Maidenhead and Windsor council asking about a few motorcycle issues. Unlike Slough, we got a letter (or e-mail) back very quickly and we have had a meeting with them. We are looking into suitable parking places in Maidenhead and Windsor to suggest to them. This has to be done by about March 14th because they are going to discuss it then.
Update - 7th November 2001
Windsor has some motorcycle parking behind what used to be "The Old Trout" or "The Fort and Ferkin" pub in the car park. It doesn't say anywhere but it's free.
Traffic lights.
In one MAG meeting some time in 1998 someone mentioned the problem that motorcyclists have when they come across weight activated traffic lights when no cars are around. I have the same problem, every time I leave the Tuesday meeting I have to go through 2 red lights or wait until a car comes along.
Someone in a news group has found this problem too. This is a link to a response by someone who has worked with traffic lights. He says it's just a matter of setting them up correctly for motorcycles.
Clive mentioned this in his letter to Maidenhead and Windsor council in January 2000 and they are looking into the lights that he mentioned. They even got onto the Highway agency regarding some lights in their jurisdiction. Some of the lights can not be adjusted but they are looking into replacing the units with more sensitive ones.
We intend to keep a track of what lights do not detect motorcycles and to inform the relevant authority.
Update - 6th March
Maidenhead council told Clive (TV MAG Regional rep) that the highways authority is planning replacing detectors at J8/9 of the M4 with a newer design which should detect motorcycles. They will be monitored and if there is still a problem then more detector wires can be installed.
