Wellington Parking - They are about to clamp down on bike parking

[motor_mayhem]

Actually John I think we as bikers are serving the majority already. The protest I would have dreamed of would be one where everyone who usually rides a bike to work all drove a car each to work one day with a sticker that says "I wanted to ride my bike here but WCC wouldn't let me park it" (and yes that's a stretch of the truth but you get the picture). Once the WCC and the public saw how much more car traffic it generated then they might realise that our mode of transport in fact has a positive externality where their roads, parks and footpaths are less crowded. Could consider a similar protest on trains purely for the benefit of the public but then with their reliability we'd never get to work at all (I know that's a tranzmetro issue and not related to WCC).

No you can't assume everyone is much happier just because a couple of people who had nothing better to do with their time didn't call you i.e. they don't necessarily represent the loosely defined majority they happen to fit into.

Agree that whatever the rules end up being they need to be clearly defined between what is and isn't ok, judgement usually leads to debate. Good work for coming on here are explaining your side.

[Jon Visser]

Good news (and more good news planned):

Councillors have just approved the latest set of traffic resolutions, which included a number of improvements to motorcycle parking facilities:
* Stout Street: about 5 spaces confirmed (already used by riders but didn't formally exist previously).
* Hunter Street: existing bay to be expanded to accommodate about 14 more motorcycles (legally).
* Panama Street: two sections of kerb to be allocated to motorcycles (not currently in use, about 9 new spaces).
* Abel Smith Street: existing bay to be doubled in size (7 new spaces).

In June the next set of traffic resolutions goes to Council for consideration and this is planned to include:
* College Street: 7 unrestricted spaces to replace the ones that were there previously and another 7 spaces with P120 restriction to serve the cafes.
* Featherston Street: two sections of about 3 spaces each (6 in total) signposted as motorcycles only (at the ends of parallel parks, some already in use despite them having no-stopping lines).
* Victoria Street: A new bay in the parking lay-by at the corner with Ghuznee Street - 7 spaces P120 restricted for casual parkers.
* Railway station: about 20 unrestricted spaces.

[Kendog]

Good news (and more good news planned):

Nice work.

[rustic101]

[QUOTE=Jon Visser;1129712494]Good news (and more good news planned):

Thank you John.

Also could you please thank the City Engineer(?) Name escapes me..

I complained after nearly dropping my bike in the wet on the apex of Molesworth and Hawkestone st due to a large metallic utility cover, in my riding line. Turns out this was a TelstraClear cover. However it was inspected by WCC and Telstra and they replaced it with a concrete infill cover within two weeks.

Full marks to WCC for taking positive action and owning the issue.

[Jon Visser]

Hi all,
Sorry for the late heads-up, but there is a report going to Wellington City Council's Strategy and Policy Commttee meeting tomorrow Thursday 23 June 2011. Second the last item (report 7) includes a review of the Traffic Bylaw.
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyo...15/agenda.html
It is a public meeting and anyone may attend - they will probably get to report 7 by late morning (say somewhere between 10:30am to 12:30pm).

As has been previously promised, Council is going to look into removing the bylaw restriction on motorcycles using Pay & Display spaces. This is the first step in that process (i.e. the report tomorrow only seeks approval from Council to start the process, and there will be plenty of opportunity for public consultation throughout the process). It is hoped that this will enable riders looking for a casual parking space to park (legally) for up to 2 hours anywhere in the city and not need to park illegally on the footpath. This was one of the major changes that riders and those from BRONZ that we met with recently have asked for - your ideas are not falling on deaf ears.

Jon Visser
Manager, Infrastructure Performance
Wellington City Council

[cheshirecat]

Good stuff, efforts by all concerned much appreciated

Onward and forward

[StoneY]

Just so long as the issue does not become 'now you can pay and display we are taking away xxx parking spaces on your free zones'
An issue i honestly do not believe will happen after the great work we have achieved together to date but.... been bitten by too many bureaucrats to not look 3x at any gift horses....

Thanks Jon much appreciated letting us know like this

Probably best to email me at president@bronzwellington.org.nz with notification of the public meeting that our parking issue's will be tabled at

[Jon Visser]

Council has agreed to start reviewing the traffic bylaw including considering letting motorcycles use P&D spaces.

Also approved was a new motorcycles-only parking bay in Martin Square. There's not much motorcycle parking in the south of the CBD so hopefully it will be put to good use.

In September there will be a more comprehensive report looking at the wider issues around motorcycle parking in the CBD (i.e. to develop a robust and future-looking policy).

Jon Visser

[caseye]

On you Jon Visser! I'm sure this is not all down to you, but somehow I feel that Wellys motorcyclists are being well and truly looked after by your good self and those who's ear you can bend sufficiently.
Keep up the good work.
Welly BRONZ ,you guys rock, this is significant change and deserves MUCH MORE recognition of the lengths that you lot have gone to , to get these changes started and to keep things on a good even keel with Council, working in does work.Well done all.

[FatHead]

On you Jon Visser! I'm sure this is not all down to you, but somehow I feel that Wellys motorcyclists are being well and truly looked after by your good self and those who's ear you can bend sufficiently.
Keep up the good work.
Welly BRONZ ,you guys rock, this is significant change and deserves MUCH MORE recognition of the lengths that you lot have gone to , to get these changes started and to keep things on a good even keel with Council, working in does work.Well done all.

I agree, well done Jon, well done those who are running BRONZ Welly. look forward to being able to get a park across town every now and then when I need to do a it of retail therapy during the work week.

[sinned]

The use of Pay and Display parks will meet my need to park in the city. Good proposal, hope it gets approved. I am interested in how it will work - without the paper tickets.

[StoneY]

The use of Pay and Display parks will meet my need to park in the city. Good proposal, hope it gets approved. I am interested in how it will work - without the paper tickets.

Someone told me recently a new PDA system is due online and will track parking on an electronic record based on your vehicle, or so I was told.
Cant recall who said it.............

[Jon Visser]

Someone told me recently a new PDA system is due online and will track parking on an electronic record based on your vehicle, or so I was told.
Cant recall who said it.............

WCC has just facilitated the introduction of a new parking payment method called Phone|2|Park. You just stick a barcode to your vehicle and activate it with your mobile phone. The warden scans the barcode and it tells the warden whether they have paid. Benefits:
* Motorcycles & scooters could potentially use it (no receipts required).
* You can stop payment if you return early and save some money.
* You can get it to send you a text message warning you when it is going to expire.
* You can "top up" the parking fee remotely using your mobile phone without needing to go back to the vehicle (though not beyond the maximum 2hr limit).
If you're interested, check out:
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/d...em.php?id=4434
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/d...em.php?id=4439
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/servic...phonepark.html
http://www.phone2park.co.nz/
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/servic...park-flyer.pdf
(See - we're not all bad eh?)

Phone|2|Park could be one way that riders could use P&D parking, but part of the review would be looking at how all payment methods could be used, e.g. requiring receipts to be displayed in a box with a transparent lid locked to the bike (or multiple bikes locked together using the same space/receipt?) such that the warden can easily see the receipt and it is just as secure as if it was inside a car. As always your good ideas to help make this work will be appreciated.

[sinned]

I think I had heard of phone2park but assumed it was text parking at a pay terminal. I bit more promotion may be needed of the new system.

I will use it for the car and the bike once the parking rules are changed. How to contain and display the bar code on the bike is an issue; I don't want a sticker on the screen of the bike. There are clear tubular containers for the registration label on bikes which may work for the parking id.

[swbarnett]

You just stick a barcode to your vehicle and activate it with your mobile phone.

What about us out of towners? Could the system also take rego numbers by text?