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I note that the Council, whilst announcing that the reviled motorcycle parking tax was to be made permanent stated:-
"The City Council therefore disputes that the scheme has been any meaningful deterrent to attracting casual visitors to the City"
In much the same vein as the previous reply, I too have not used any business in the West End since Aug 08 when the, so called, experimental scheme was introduced for charging motorcycles to park. I have ceased going to the theatre, restaurants, shops etc. in Westminster and all because of the Council's motorcycle charging policy.
It is a comment that I hear from a lot of bikers who have stopped visiting Westminster (except on their way to a Borough that wants their business). Although they may have trapped residents and workers into paying to park motorcycles, they have not trapped those who would have USED the businesses - and how much are they losing? The likes of Councillor Danny Chalkley need to remember that they are elected and should listen to logical objections. Bikers are voters too.
The Council clearly do not listen to common sense when it is democratically given by written objection so I think that bikers now have an obligation to expand the awareness of the problem to a wider audience in the form of repeated (legal) gridlock - charge us like cars and we'll act like cars - until the advantages that motorcycles and scooters normally bring to London and it's businesses is more than obvious and free parking is re-instated.
These actions will, in the long term, benefit the West End, not harm it.