So I got a ticket last week, and yes, I was in the wrong. But it led me to finding out - when would I be in the right when parking my scooter in Harrogate?
Is there any information anywhere? No.
So I wrote to the council yesterday, and hopeefully I will have some kind of answer by the time I return from my holiday. Copy of email is at the bottom.
But I was going into town again to pick up some stuff for the holiday, and I just wanted to vent about the issues of lack of clarity. It means the council can have their cake and eat it - it is easy to claim at some point that you are in the wrong - ignorance is no defence etc etc.
Then I came across a traffic warden, and we had a good chat. He was very helpful, clarified some points, and would check the issues, considering he had just passed his motorbike test a couple of weeks ago.
Both vlogs below.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfUyMFJJFlk[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xenQoEXk3qY[/youtube]
Dear Sir or Madam
I am writing to enquire about the provisions for motorcycle parking in Harrogate.
I can not find any documentation on the Harrogate District Council or the North Yorkshire County Council websites, nor on any of the parking signs throughout the town, that clarifies the status of motorcycles in relation to parking, either on-street or in off-street car parking zones (other than Victoria Car Park during specific daytime hours).
On the District Council website it clearly states that tickets must be placed inside the vehicle, while on the parking signs and the North Yorkshire Parking Strategy that tickets must be placed in the windscreen. As both scenarios are impossible for any motorcycle, and there is no information as to whether free parking is offered or not, this puts motorcyclists in a very strange position of not knowing when or if they are parking legally. This is not only stressful, but is rather inconsiderate and can be costly.
On Station Parade, in between the train station car park and the bus station there is a small parking zone, in which many motorcyclists seem to park on the yellow hatched area in the corner. I would like to know if this is permissible and I can safely and legally park in there, or whether I should be parking inside a marked bay – and with or without a pay and display ticket.
Opposite this car park is the no access zone for vehicles on Cambridge Street. At Caffe Nero right next to the edge of the area adjacent to Station Parade, with cars prevented from accessing because of bollards, there is cyclist parking. At the opposite end of the street there is cyclist parking at Cambridge Road. Both areas appear very well suited to allow safe motorcycle parking aswell as cyclist parking, without hindering either pedestrians or cyclists or other road users. And a large number of motorcyclists do use these areas precisely because there is zero clarity on the status of motorcycle parking in the town. And they receive Penalty Charge Notices, as I found to my cost last week.
I would be very grateful for a timely, clear and concise response on
a) The access for motorcyclists to different types of controlled parking areas, payment regulations, and if payment is required, how to safely attach such a pay and display ticket without it being taken by another user
b) Where inside each off-street or on-street parking area in the district motorcycles should park – in a bay utilising a space that could alternatively be used by another vehicle user thus abetting (rather than easing) congestion, or in some other specially marked area, or alongside a parking area where it appears to be conducive to freeing a parking bay for other users in a safe manner
c) The reasons why there is no clarity on motorcycle parking in Harrogate and whether anything will be done about it
d) Whether consideration will be provided for motorcycle parking in the named areas at the opposite ends of Cambridge Street and possibly other areas throughout the district
Yours faithfully
Is there any information anywhere? No.
So I wrote to the council yesterday, and hopeefully I will have some kind of answer by the time I return from my holiday. Copy of email is at the bottom.
But I was going into town again to pick up some stuff for the holiday, and I just wanted to vent about the issues of lack of clarity. It means the council can have their cake and eat it - it is easy to claim at some point that you are in the wrong - ignorance is no defence etc etc.
Then I came across a traffic warden, and we had a good chat. He was very helpful, clarified some points, and would check the issues, considering he had just passed his motorbike test a couple of weeks ago.
Both vlogs below.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfUyMFJJFlk[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xenQoEXk3qY[/youtube]
Dear Sir or Madam
I am writing to enquire about the provisions for motorcycle parking in Harrogate.
I can not find any documentation on the Harrogate District Council or the North Yorkshire County Council websites, nor on any of the parking signs throughout the town, that clarifies the status of motorcycles in relation to parking, either on-street or in off-street car parking zones (other than Victoria Car Park during specific daytime hours).
On the District Council website it clearly states that tickets must be placed inside the vehicle, while on the parking signs and the North Yorkshire Parking Strategy that tickets must be placed in the windscreen. As both scenarios are impossible for any motorcycle, and there is no information as to whether free parking is offered or not, this puts motorcyclists in a very strange position of not knowing when or if they are parking legally. This is not only stressful, but is rather inconsiderate and can be costly.
On Station Parade, in between the train station car park and the bus station there is a small parking zone, in which many motorcyclists seem to park on the yellow hatched area in the corner. I would like to know if this is permissible and I can safely and legally park in there, or whether I should be parking inside a marked bay – and with or without a pay and display ticket.
Opposite this car park is the no access zone for vehicles on Cambridge Street. At Caffe Nero right next to the edge of the area adjacent to Station Parade, with cars prevented from accessing because of bollards, there is cyclist parking. At the opposite end of the street there is cyclist parking at Cambridge Road. Both areas appear very well suited to allow safe motorcycle parking aswell as cyclist parking, without hindering either pedestrians or cyclists or other road users. And a large number of motorcyclists do use these areas precisely because there is zero clarity on the status of motorcycle parking in the town. And they receive Penalty Charge Notices, as I found to my cost last week.
I would be very grateful for a timely, clear and concise response on
a) The access for motorcyclists to different types of controlled parking areas, payment regulations, and if payment is required, how to safely attach such a pay and display ticket without it being taken by another user
b) Where inside each off-street or on-street parking area in the district motorcycles should park – in a bay utilising a space that could alternatively be used by another vehicle user thus abetting (rather than easing) congestion, or in some other specially marked area, or alongside a parking area where it appears to be conducive to freeing a parking bay for other users in a safe manner
c) The reasons why there is no clarity on motorcycle parking in Harrogate and whether anything will be done about it
d) Whether consideration will be provided for motorcycle parking in the named areas at the opposite ends of Cambridge Street and possibly other areas throughout the district
Yours faithfully
I was checking up bike parking in Glasgow and someone did that to get answers.
