Draft bill will give London councils power to remove your bike from lamposts

Dear Ms Erickson

There is no truth in the rumor that' there is a bill currently being developed
that will allow councils to forcibly remove bikes chained to railings/lampposts etc in order to "de-clutter"
the streets of London' and I regret the scare mongering that has been caused over this.

The Bill is addressed at dangerous obstructions to the footway such as advertising 'A' boards, objects for sale and building materials. Council officials seeking to exercise these powers would, first, have to determine that the object was left in a way which caused a danger or serious obstruction. Second, they would need to make an effort to contact the owner of the object in question to get them to remove it. Third, they would need to place a notice of their intended action in removing the object. Failure to undertake any of these actions would render any removal unlawful.

There are no plans to authorise parking attendants to exercise these powers as it would seriously distract them from their main work. In any case, councils in London are committed to increasing cycling and spend tens of millions of pounds a year on this. Large scale removal of parked cycles would serve no useful purpose towards this.

Having said that, the Bill's provisions could be used against cycles that were willfully left in a dangerous or seriously obstructive place. I can see no reason to turn a blind eye to such actions.

I appreciate your comments about the need for more cycle parking and councils do provide this. It may not be enough in your eyes. However, cycle parking takes both space and money and there is strong competition for both on London's streets. Councils have to strike a balance, often with difficulty, between competing demands. Just as lack of a convenient legal parking space is no excuse for someone to park a car illegally, it does not seem to me to b an excuse to park a cycle in a way which causes danger to anyone else.

I was interested in your other suggestions. Some are already in place. For example, most councils have mandatory requirements for cycle parking as part of large new developments. The details will vary from council to council but the principle is clear.

In general parking cycles on public land is permitted. There are exceptions, not just for obstruction and damage but also where parking cycles would be wholly inappropriate. Signs you see on railings, though, are from property owners, who are usually private.

Tax breaks for those who cycle are a matter for central Government and not for local councils, though local councils do give cycle allowances to their employees who cycle and many operate pool cycle schemes.

I understand why you say that new bike lanes should be at least 500 metres long, but this would effectively ensure there were no new bike lanes in London. Junctions and legitimate needs of residents prevent such long continuous lengths and shorter bike lanes can still have great value..

Cars are not allowed to stop, park or drive in mandatory bike lanes at present. However, enforcement of this by police is limited. Councils do more enforcement of the parking restrictions.

Sentencing in the case of dangerous driving or causing death is a matter for the courts.

I think there is a very positive approach to cycling in the media, except where cyclists are thoughtless or selfish, such as cycling on the pavement or running red lights.

Bike thefts, as you say, are a matter for the police.

I think the Thames path cycle route will easily exceed the length of your proposed route and, what's more, much of it is already there!

Yours sincerely

Nick Lester
Director, Transport, Environment and Planning
London Councils
59½ Southwark Street
London SE1 0AL
020 7934 9905
nick.lester@londoncouncils.gov.uk
http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk