WCC to debate "Daft Parking Policy" 1st May (again)

[skid]

Alert! Alert! Alert!

Sorry for the dramatics, but I wanted to let the group know about an important development at council.

I saw Councilor Bryan Pepperell today and he told me that the council will meet again this week to consider charging for motorcycle/scooter parking (again). This is a completely daft plan and will be counter productive to Wellingtons traffic woes.

All those on two wheels need to let the dozy buggers know that it is not going to fly.

I am going to find out where to submit to and I will post a link. Please post a submission and get all your friends to as well. Even car drivers as if all scooter/motorcyclist suddenly began taking their cars, there would be even more hell on the roads.

Thanks, and I'll post again soon.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yeah as Phil said in that email we got at work today........we'll simply tell them that if they want to charge us for parking our bikes......we'll simply park the fuckers in car parking spaces and pay the meters. That'll cause no end of problems for a town already struggling for car parks!

[Grub]

.... get 100 bikers on the 1st of May to arrive in town at 0630 and park one bike in each space down Featherston St and feed the meters until 0830 when all the city breakfast cafe customers would have to have found somewhere else?

Legend has it that this happened in Masterton in response to the local cop ticketing bikes parked between cars. I would love to see it make the point to the council about how stupid this is.

I remember last time we responded to this porposal, the councilors were a bit stunned at our organised email campaign. This time it might be a very good idea to get the Greens involved. The proposal bascially meant that it cost the same to park a bike as it does a car ... so why take a bike to work? Imagine the implications for road congestion and carbon emissions.

Argggh ... can Kerry Prendergast really be this stupid?

[Shadows]

I wonder if we could... get 100 bikers on the 1st of May to arrive in town at 0630 and park one bike in each space down Featherston St and feed the meters until 0830 when all the city breakfast cafe customers would have to have found somewhere else?

Build it and they will come.

[Shadows]

can Kerry Prendergast really be this stupid?

Tip of the iceberg I'm afraid.

[RantyDave]

.... get 100 bikers on the 1st of May to arrive in town at 0630 and park one bike in each space down Featherston St and feed the meters until 0830 when all the city breakfast cafe customers would have to have found somewhere else?

Argggh ... can Kerry Prendergast really be this stupid?
I'm in.

And yes. Yes, she can and is.

Dave

[James Deuce]

Sorry, I'm not following.

When, where, how?

[ajturbo]

yes.. doug and i will be there..

[Grub]

Sorry, I'm not following. When, where, how?

Well Jim, I started just asking if we could do this thing and it seems that we are! That's pretty cool really. The idea was for a single motorcycle to occupy every parking space in Featherston St from 0630-0830 to make sure it has the maximum visibility and the maximum embarrassement for the WCC.

MAybe we need to strategise this a bit now and decide if May 1 is the right day or the day before which is Monday April 31. Mondays are slow news days so if we alert the Greens, TV3 and the DomPissed then it will all hit them the day of their deliberations. Hopefully it will sink the idea once and for all as well as send a message to any other local body contemplating the same thing. Because, believe me, if the WCC win this one, every other Council will follow.

I'll count the parks in Featherston St tomorrow and see how many have to be filled

[Swoop]

Yeah as Phil said in that email we got at work today........we'll simply tell them that if they want to charge us for parking our bikes......we'll simply park the fuckers in car parking spaces and pay the meters. That'll cause no end of problems for a town already struggling for car parks!
You are on the right track... but do the councillors really want to improve the parking in Wellytown?
If they did, it would mean that there would be less complaining and therefore less public exposure for them and their "importance" which is associated with their ivory tower positions. (Less mana.)

[Colapop]

I may have to go across the road and have a talk to my local councillor - Andy Foster... True, he lives across the road...

[MotoGirl]

Because, believe me, if the WCC win this one, every other Council will follow.
Grub, you are correct in saying that if WCC gets away with it, other councils will follow. I've heard this same comment from a friend of mine who works there.

[Grub]

Yes, wouldn't surprise me to find this originated within Local Government New Zealand and the WCC volunteered to make it happen for one and all.

Nasty has provided some additional info that's important
- Parking charges begin at 0800
- Many people overnight park free on Featherston St but move at 0800
- We need to be there at 0630 to secure the spots but don't have to pay until 0800
- We need a number of bikes at 0800-0830 to back-fill the vacated spaces
- Paying for the first two hours 0800-1000 ($8-10 worth) will cause a major disruption and make a substantial point
- I will give up a morning's work to feed meters until 1000 so people can go to work and come back at morning tea time for their bikes.
- The last WCC proposal (which KB helped to stop) meant that motorcyclists would be paying $8 every day for parking in the central city.

If we get the numbers, it would be worth everyone's investment of $10 for one day's protest to stop having to pay for it every day.

[James Deuce]

Be prepared for "people" to attempt to move bikes, knock bikes over, and start messy confrontations. There are all sorts of service contractors using Featherston St from 6:30am - 9am.

They won't care about your point, most people are in a rush and have a job to do or get to.

[Grub]

AGreed Jim ... that's why the invite to the DomPissed and the TV News people. Nasty and I would have our telephoto lenses out too

[James Deuce]

Good, because if anything happens to my bike I'll cry.

[Hailwood]

Well I can be there from 8.30 onwards...no one better try to move my bike thats for sure.......

[Little Miss Trouble]

Good plan. I wish I could join you, pissing off self important people is great fun.
Has anyone thought to put notices up at Vic, Weltec etc? I'm sure theres plenty of students who would want to get involved.

[James Deuce]

Srudents have scooters and they damage people's bikes when they fall over. (eh little prick who dented my loudener and did a runner when I chased after him on foot).

Therefore I'll be setting up a protest ride to ban scooters and students.

[Little Miss Trouble]

Ok I can understand the scooter thing but no students? i'm sure theres a few out there with 250s plus i should think they'd be the first to jump in and stop people trying to move the bikes? hmm they may be too poor to pay the meters though...

[ajturbo]

ok... sounds good .. please can you organise and tell me when and where .. a couple of days notice

[James Deuce]

Bezel nuts!

I also feel mean now.

[Toaster]

Yeah as Phil said in that email we got at work today........we'll simply tell them that if they want to charge us for parking our bikes......we'll simply park the fuckers in car parking spaces and pay the meters. That'll cause no end of problems for a town already struggling for car parks!

Brilliant idea! Mind you, I need a car space for mine anyway.:gob:

[Nasty]

Be prepared for "people" to attempt to move bikes, knock bikes over, and start messy confrontations. There are all sorts of service contractors using Featherston St from 6:30am - 9am.

They won't care about your point, most people are in a rush and have a job to do or get to.



There is also allocated parking for these people .. we can't park there anyway.

[James Deuce]

You're assuming that they follow the rules Nasty.

They don't.

They follow the rules as much as a certain Yamaha cruiser rider who rides down the footpath and doesn't acknowledge people waving at her from 2 metres away.

Hey look! I complained about someone not waving back when I was walking. On the footpath. Avoiding a motorcycle.

[Nasty]

I participated in an email programme started last year by Mark Hodson last year about the same issue. I have kept the responses and they included

" the proposal was defeated 7 votes (Crs Pepperell, Cook, Gill, Shaw, Wade-Brown, Ruben, and Foster)

to 4 (Mayor Prendergast, Crs Morrison, Wain, Armstrong)."

Amongst other information.

Colapop, Andy Foster is a keen supporter .. if we go ahead with this protest it would be good to have his support.

Nasty Bitch (getting to be a grumpy bitch at this issue raising its ugly hear again)!!!

[Nasty]

You're assuming that they follow the rules Nasty.

They don't.

They follow the rules as much as a certain Yamaha cruiser rider who rides down the footpath and doesn't acknowledge people waving at her from 2 metres away.

Hey look! I complained about someone not waving back when I was walking. On the footpath. Avoiding a motorcycle.

Opps ... well there was no bloody parking spaces on the road ... so I parked on the path in front of them ... but getting back off the path was fun ... hhehe

I think I was concentrating on not killing the kid walking towards me Jim .. Honest otherwise I would have waved ... :yes:

[Shadows]

If we get the numbers, it would be worth everyone's investment of $10 for one day's protest to stop having to pay for it every day.

No need to pay for parking if sitting on one's bike. Also less likely that somebody will try to fuck with it if somebody is sitting on it.

[Shadows]

MAybe we need to strategise this a bit now and decide if May 1 is the right day or the day before which is Monday April 31. Mondays are slow news days so if we alert the Greens, TV3 and the DomPissed then it will all hit them the day of their deliberations.

The first day of any month may not be ideal for a lot of office workers.

[PuppetMaster]

I cant believe the feckers would try and bring this up again. How can they be so short sighted. How can this possibly be good for Welly.
I will definetely be there for any type of protest.
We could just close off Lambton Quay, or the motorway at Nauranga, now that would be effective.

[Matt]

Just got an email from Wellington M/C's on this - if only WCC would see bikes as part of the solution as in so many other capital cities!

I'm up for any action - The Terrace would be good too!

Matt

[limbimtimwim]

Fuck yeah.

[riffer]

I have a prak at work but will involve myself in any action plan as I don't want to see this go through.

Would this mean we'd have to pay to prak our bikes outside WMCC now while we perv at the new sprotsbikes within?

[Hailwood]

one idea could also be if this parking protest was held over two days...could we do that? That would be very effective indeed..imagine the complaints on the second day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[XP@]

Count me in...

Two things come to mind, how do we stop them wasting our money be considering this next year and the year after and the year after... you get the picture?

Last years thread
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=25461&highlight=wcc+parking

And LAST YEARS vote result:
You'll be pleased to know that the proposal was defeated 7 votes (Crs
Pepperell, Cook, Gill, Shaw, Wade-Brown, Ruben, and Foster)
to 4 (Mayor Prendergast, Crs Morrison, Wain, Armstrong).

[PuppetMaster]

Hmmmm



From: Celia Wade-Brown [mailto:celia.wade-brown@wcc.govt.nz]
Sent: Monday, 23 April 2007 11:24 a.m.
To: Puppetmaster
Subject: Re: No Motorcycle Parking Fees Please.


Thanks for contacting us. Parking fees for motorcycles is NOT a suggestion in the draft Annual Plan so just RELAX. It's mentioned in passing in draft Parking Policy which is coming out soon for consultation (May 3rd) but not with any enthusiasm for motorcycle fee introduction.

Are you being wound up unnecessarily?

Regards (in two-wheeled solidarity!)
Celia

[PuppetMaster]

And...


From: Bryan Pepperell [mailto:Bryan.Pepperell@wcc.govt.nz]
Sent: Monday, 23 April 2007 11:33 a.m.
To: Puppetmaster; michael.webster@wcc.govt.nz; Ray Ahipene-Mercer; Robert Armstrong; Stephanie Cook; Andy Foster; Leonie Gill; Rob Goulden; Ian Mckinnon; Helene Ritchie; Jack Ruben; Alick Shaw; celia.wade-brown@wcc.govt.nz; Hayley Wain; kerry.prendergast@wcc.govt.nz
Subject: RE: No Motorcycle Parking Fees Please.


Strategy and Policy committee
AGENDA

THURSDAY 19 APRIL 2007

9.15 AM

Appendix 2 - page 297

Activity

1.5

e. Provision for motorcycle parking ( to determine quantity of space, location, price )

Appendix 4 - page 306

6.0 Motorbikes

There are issues with allocating space for on-street parking for motorcyclists in residential areas, where there is already significant over demand from other vehicles.

Motorbike parking is free of charge, should a charge be introduced, especially in the central Area?

Regards

Bryan Pepperell

[Ixion]

There are issues with allocating space for on-street parking for motorcyclists in residential areas, where there is already significant over demand from other vehicles.

Motorbike parking is free of charge, should a charge be introduced, especially in the central Area?


So, suggest that they allocate space on the footpaths, or a graveled berm. Seriously. Bikes don't need to park on the road.

Moreover every area has "dead space" that cars can't fit into but bikes can. Just offialise it.

(The other point worth noting , of course, is that space allocated to bikes means someone ISN'T taking up a car sapce. So every bike park means three or four car spaces filled up. We are civic benefactors that's what we are. They should pay US )

[Bend-it]

So are they not going ahead with it then? So no bike park protest? I was looking forward to it!

[Grub]

So are they not going ahead with it then? So no bike park protest? I was looking forward to it!

Well according to Puppetmaster's quoting of Brian Pepperrel ...



Motorbike parking is free of charge, should a charge be introduced, especially in the central Area?

Regards

Bryan Pepperell

... it seems that it is going to be discussed. I think tomorrow we'll get a copy of the Agenda and know for sure. At the moment, it looks to still be on.

[James Deuce]

Cool. 31/4 or 1/5?

[Grub]

This would be the day if this matter is on the Agenda.

I'll check tomorrow and of it's a goer will make a calendar entry. Some facts I gleaned today
- Left hand side Featherston is Clearaway 0700-0900
- As best I could count, there's 51 "Pay n Display" parks on the Right Hand side and about 49 on the left
- At 0800 this morning the majority were vacant and there was a lot of temp stoppers
- By 0930 both sides of the street were chocka
- Parking cost is $4 per hour

It looks like we could really make a big impression by parking out the right hand side of Featherston starting as early as anyone likes
- Payment required after 0800 @ $4/hour
- Left hand side available at 0900
- There's plenty of outside cafe seats where we can sit, watch and guard our bikes over a long coffee
- Anyone who has to go can leave some $2 coin with us and we'll make sure the meters fed until morning tea time at 1000 when you can come get yer bike.

Look for confirmation and Calendar item tomorrow

[pzkpfw]

Am I so stupid I've missed a joke?

My PC says April has only 30 days (and the 30th this year is Monday).


P.S. Where do you put parking meter payment slips on a bike?

[ajturbo]

good one grub... keep us going.!!!

[jeremysprite]

P.S. Where do you put parking meter payment slips on a bike?

Under the windscreen wipers

[Hitcher]

Local Government runs on submissions. Make some.

Email michael.webster@wcc.govt.nz and let him know that you are unhappy with any intention to penalise motorcyclists for being a solution to Wellington's inner city vehicle congestion, climate change, etc.

[Big Dave]

Local Government runs on submissions. Make some.

Email michael.webster@wcc.govt.nz and let him know that you are unhappy with any intention to penalise motorcyclists for being a solution to Wellington's inner city vehicle congestion, climate change, etc.

If there was a BRONZ in Wellywood, they could meet, make a resolution to draft a letter saying all that.

this would then be forwarded to me to publish on the BRONZ web site for people to subsequently cut and paste that letter - to the links listed on same page.

But as there is no BRONZ in wellywood...is there?

A galvanising issue? Build it and they will come??

[James Deuce]

But as there is no BRONZ in wellywood...is there?



Thankfully, no there isn't. I'll write my own letter thanks.

[Big Dave]

Thankfully, no there isn't. I'll write my own letter thanks.

? - You could write a BRONZ letter too. Due process and all, but ?

[James Deuce]

Dammit, you're supposed to bite, not poke me with a stick.

[Hitcher]

Submission processes are often misinterpreted as being the same as votes. They're not. Policy analysts will only add pro forma responses to a dirty great pile after they have read the first one. Submission processes are about discovering solutions or ideas that may cause decision-makers to question the wisdom or otherwise of what it was they were proposing. By the quality of your submission shall ye be judged; not by the quantity.

[Hailwood]

email sent to Mr Webster..will await reply...in the meantime I am still in for any protest parking..look forward to it. I know a photographer for Dom Post if that might be useful as well...let me know.....

[Big Dave]

By the quality of your submission shall ye be judged; not by the quantity.

A sitting Govt minister told me this over lunch (that he paid for!):
'Enough emails make people nervous, even if they are all the same. They tend to look twice.'

With e-co-operation on something like this quantity and quality could be achieved?

Anyone got a better drum?

[Hitcher]

Policy analysts are a bit harder to spook than politicians. There's no harm in emailing Bryan Pepperell directly either. Presumably he will be standing (again) this year for Wellington's mayoralty. bryan.pepperell@wcc.govt.nz

[Swoop]

P.S. Where do you put parking meter payment slips on a bike?
If you carry a rubber band, you can attach it around the handlebar as demonstrated by the parking nazi in blenheim (referring to another thread...).
Possibly a wise thing to do if attempting civil unrest and mayhem in Wellytown!

[Big Dave]

Policy analysts are a bit harder to spook than politicians. There's no harm in emailing Bryan Pepperell directly either. Presumably he will be standing (again) this year for Wellington's mayoralty. bryan.pepperell@wcc.govt.nz

I keep seeing this stuff through 'Yes Minister' glasses.

[Grub]

April has only 30 days (and the 30th this year is Monday).

Ahem ... whilst not prepared to realease a statement at this time, you might be right - its Monday



P.S. Where do you put parking meter payment slips on a bike?

You take a rubber band and wrap it around your throttle grip - that's where they put your parking tickets!

[Grub]

email sent to Mr Webster..will await reply...in the meantime I am still in for any protest parking..look forward to it. I know a photographer for Dom Post if that might be useful as well...let me know.....

Excellent ... we can use all the help we can get. I was thinking that we keep it under wraps for as long as possible and ring them all Sunday night (after the WCC maintenance staff have gone off home).

It's just that I have this vision of us turning up in Featherston St Monday morning to find that all the meter spaces have WCC cones in them and No Parking signs all down the road.

It sounds like we're likely to get more than 50 bikes so that means we can do the side streets as well, but Featherston St is the best photo-opp, so that'd have to be first :)

[PuppetMaster]

Heres the latest. Its not quite what it seems, apparently. I got about a dozen replies from my email, from various Councillors.

Wellington City Council
101 Wakefield Street,
P O Box 2199
Wellington

23rd February 2007


Dear Sir/Madam,


Ref. Motorcycle parking fees.

Thank you for your email on Monday 23rd April concerning Motorcycle parking fees.

The parking review policy supported by Councillors almost unanimously is out for consultation at the present time. This means that you have your chance to have your say on the proposal before any final decision is made by Council.

After receiving you email I made enquiries with Mr Wayne Tacon, the Parking Services Manage for Wellington City Council.

He has informed me that there was a small section in the consultative document that talked about the removal of free weekend parking.

This may have been misconstrued by some to mean that free motorcycle parking was to be removed.

This is not the case. What I suggest you do is ask for a copy of the draft consultation paper and make a submission to Wellington City Council on the proposed policy.

Thanks for letting me know what you think and have to say.

I appreciate the feedback.


Yours Faithfully,

Rob Goulden

Rob Goulden
ED JP MBA
Wellington City Councillor

[PuppetMaster]

And another reply from Celia.

Dear motorcyclists,

Thanks for getting in touch.

"Motorcycle parking is currently free. Should a charge be introduced?" is from the draft Parking Policy that Council agreed to go out for consultation last week. It also has a lot more about public space, expectations, parking hierarchy for different sorts of roads, taxi ranks etc.

The WCC Council agenda this week has Parking Policy under "committee items to note" so we WON'T debate it this week. The correct place for feedback is in the Parking Policy consultation which starts on May 3rd. Some discussion has already happened in the officer production of the draft Parking Policy. Much more will happen in the discussion of the draft when it's put out on May 3rd. You will be able to submit online to that.

It is not a fee proposed in the draft Annual Plan so there is not the remotest possibility of it being introduced this year and I see no appetite from Councillors to EVER introduce it but we will certainly listen to input. Motorbikes do take up much less room and use less fuel - though some are noisy and some old scooters pretty polluting too.
.
Hope that clarifies why I think people are being wound up unnecessarily while there are some deeper issues to debate!

Many of you made the point that Wellington needs to do something about congestion and climate change. I agree that two wheeled vehicles help (human or motor). We need a number of cycle and motorbike parks more than we currently have from what I've heard so far. We are also looking at how we can extend bus lanes to move people more efficiently if publci transport is convenient for them.

Transport, parking and cities are important issues and thanks for your input.

Regards
Celia


Cr Celia Wade-Brown

Wellington City Councillor

Southern Ward &
Environment Portfolio

42 High Street
Island Bay
Wellington 6023

New Zealand

04 938 6691
027 483 6691

[Squeak the Rat]

If you carry a rubber band, you can attach it around the handlebar as demonstrated by the parking nazi in blenheim (referring to another thread...).
Possibly a wise thing to do if attempting civil unrest and mayhem in Wellytown!

And take a photo of it with your mobile phone in case some syphillis infested toe-rag thiefs it.

[James Deuce]

And take a photo of it with your mobile phone in case some syphillis infested toe-rag thiefs it.

What do you mean "in case"?

It won't be a toe rag either. It will most likely be a female and probably driving either a small hatch back or a large SUV.

Put a parking meter receipt on a bike and you WILL lose it. It WILL be stolen.

[Steam]

And take a photo of it with your mobile phone in case some syphillis infested toe-rag thiefs it.

They would just put in some coin-operated old-style ones for each space, they must have a heap lying in storage somewhere if they haven't all been sold to other councils who still use them.

I watch this thread with interest. I will be there with my bike and handful of coins if it is needed.

[Big Dave]

And another reply from Celia.

Dear motorcyclists,

Thanks for getting in touch.




geez PM - This was far more entertaining when the anarchists were running the show.

[PuppetMaster]

And finally. This says it all really.


From: Kim Jansen [mailto:Kim.Jansen@wcc.govt.nz] On Behalf Of Alick Shaw
Sent: Tuesday, 24 April 2007 2:40 p.m.
Subject: Motorcycle Parking

This issue is a beat-up by one of my colleagues.

There is no current proposal to introduce motorcycle parking fees in any part of the city, in the foreseeable future and it will not be debated by Council later this week. Truthfully, I cannot detect any enthusiasm among any of my colleagues nor among officers for a charging regime for motorcycle parking.

When we don’t introduce a parking charge, it will not be a backtrack or a victory for your submissions - it is simply not on the table.

Yours sincerely

Alick Shaw
DEPUTY MAYOR

[Matt]

Haha I just got that too - last sentence is especially caring :whocares:

[PuppetMaster]

geez PM - This was far more entertaining when the anarchists were running the show.


All that replied to me were quite subdued and apathetic, considering the first line in my email was "Are you Crazy!!!"

At least the councill knows that the public do take notice of whats going on, even if we have no idea what it means.

[Big Dave]

Haha I just got that too - last sentence is especially caring :whocares:

Would have been more convincing with 'NYAH NYAH NYAH!' at the end.

Cared enough to make the point.

I love the smell of Napalm in the mornings.

[Grub]

And finally. This says it all really.

Am I being too cynical? This reply makes it sound as if this is the most ridiculous and outrageous idea ever flown (it is) and that we are being less than charitable in thinking that they would contemplate such a thing.

Ahem ... but last year, they did consider it - seriously. It went all the way to a vote .... and was defeated 7-2 (Shaw was on our side).

Soooo ... paranoid?
- This year, we see from the Agenda sent by Bryan Pepperill (Appendix 4, Page 302) that it was discussed on 19 April 2007.
- Froom Celia Ashley " ...The correct place for feedback is in the Parking Policy consultation which starts on May 3rd. Some discussion has already happened in the officer production of the draft Parking Policy. Much more will happen in the discussion of the draft when it's put out on May 3rd. You will be able to submit online to that.

The last thing we want to do is to play the occupying parking spaces card at the wrong time but I'm stuffed if I can work out what the hell is going on and when

signed
Confused Father of 15, Whitby

[Hailwood]

Wow just got emails from Alick Shaw, Kerry Prendergast and Rob Goulden all saying this is not happening and blaming all this on two naughty councillors..The resposne from Shaw is to be expected...smarmy little piece!!!!!

So I guess this means there is no need to fill the spaces???

[Groins_NZ]

Hey guys,

My partner told me tonight that she'd heard on the radio (National Radio) today that the Wellington City council was considering (again) charging motorcyclists for parking, a couple of dollars apparently. Partner mentioned that said something about "the increase in moped riders" and "getting more people to use public transport instead".

Personally, I don't like the idea one bit and WTF, public transport is shite, they need to spend some $$$ on upgrading that system first i.e. some more train carriages.

Anyone else get wind of this today?

[Hitcher]

Yes, I saw the item on our newsbrief service at work. Should we trust somebody whose first-name is "Holden"?

If the City Council is planning a stunt like this, then we should stage a protest by everybody getting up early and putting a motorcycle smack in the middle of every car park in the downtown area. Hah!

[sweetp]

This sounds like the typical political run around where they tell you what they think you want to hear.

Anyway count me in for anything we do or don't do

[mowgli]

Has anyone considered that parking a bike in a car space breaks a local bylaw. This protest sounds like a target rich environment for lazy-arse ticket writers that hate walking too far between pissing people off.