Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Bikers’ parking: We’ll find a way
Angry bikers unable to use camera-operated car parks in the district have been given hope the council will find a solution.
Motorcyclists have had to ride away from three sites fitted with the automatic number platereading technology – known as ANPR – as their rear plates cannot be recognised.
But the city council has now said it will find a solution before putting the technology into about 25 car parks across the district.
Biker Brian Smith, 67, said: “That is good to hear because at the moment it seems like they are telling motorcyclists to go away.
“There are tens of thousands of us and all we need is a designated bay in every car park.
“We should be accommodated – we are not all Hell’s Angels and we do park sensibly.”
Authority bosses carried out a six-month trial of the ANPR technology, fitting cameras and barriers in Pound Lane in Canterbury, William Street in Herne Bay and Middle Wall in Whitstable.
Mr Smith, who lives in Greenhill, and rides a BSA Gold Star, thinks the council should offer free parking to motorcyclists.
He said: “It should definitely be free as it is a form of cheaper transport and bikes do not block up the roads like cars do.
“All the council has to do is cut two foot off the barriers and then motorcyclists can squeeze through.
“I am keen to see what they propose as we do not take up much space and it is wrong not to include us.”
Council spokesman Rob Davies says the authority will resolve the issue as it tenders for a firm to take on the £1.3m project to introduce ANPR to car parks across the district.
He said: “It is correct that the ANPR trial has meant motorcyclists have not been able to use these car parks due to the issue with back plates.
“However, they are certainly most welcome in our car parks and we will be looking into options for how the ANPR system can work for them as part of the roll out.”
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