About 18 months ago I was delighted when, on one of my irregular trips to the centre of Wollongong, I found that the council had installed a number of Motorcycle-only parking bays. “What a great idea,” I thought, “Here’s our local administrators (we don’t have a council because it got sacked for corruption a couple of years ago) recognising the importance of two wheeled transport and doing something positive to encourage motorcyclists/scooterists to bring them to town.” Of course, what they are doing is in line with what is happening all over the world as legislators and administrators look for ways to reduce pollution within their respective CBD’s.
Imagine my disgust, then, when, upon the introduction of parking meters within the CBD a month or so ago, I find that all the motorcycle-only bays have been abolished. Yes, despite their assertions that the introduction of meters is a move designed to make parking more equitable and to reduce the number of vehicles in the CBD (the second of these aims has already been achieved with local businesses reporting up to a 33% drop in trade since the meters have been in place), the abolition of motorcycle-only bays flies completely in the face of their stated desire to reduce pollution within the CBD.
Local motorcycle groups are already mobilising to fight this injustice and to highlight to the media the stupidity and avarice that is at the base of this decision. It’s being suggested that large groups of motorcycles be parked in the car parking places which are the most-used in the CBD so that motorists wishing to use them can become aware of how we, as motorcylists, have been disciminated against yet again. Of course, this will need to be accompanied by a public education campaign lest it have exactly the opposite effect than what is intended, but letters to the council and to the local media are already in the pipeline, so let’s hope that something comes of it.