Bikers win right to use bays as long as they like

[totalmotorcycle]

Bikers win right to use bays as long as they like
Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - By Roland Batten - Salisbury Journal - salisburyjournal.co.uk



MOTORCYCLES can park in designated bike bays in Salisbury's car parks for as long as they want, a leading councillor has announced.

Salisbury's parking ambassadors have been told not to book motorcyclists who leave their machines in the free parking bays, even if they do overstay the limit set for car drivers.

Councillor Dennis Brown, portfolio holder for transport and the environment, told the Journal councillors and officers had carried out a review of motorcycle parking after Karen Randall was booked for leaving her motorcycle in Salt Lane for longer than five hours.

As reported on the front page of the Journal on September 14 this year, Ms Randall was fined for leaving her machine in the Salt Lane motorcycle bay for longer than five hours, even though there are no signs indicating motorbikes are limited in the same way as cars are.

Her case attracted interest from other motorcyclists and from Salisbury MP, Robert Key, most of whom assumed motorcycles could park free and for as long as they wanted.

But Mr Brown said current parking regulations in fact restrict motorcycles to the same time limits as cars, although he said the council accepted most riders did not realise this and there were no signs indicating this was so.

He added: "We have reviewed the situation and will amend the parking regulations so motorcycles can stay in the special bays without time limit."