No To the Bike Parking Tax

In this email:

• Message from campaign Chairman Warren.
• Download 11th May fliers and posters. Spread the word!
• Had an unfair PCN? Submit your case to our lawyers now!

Why its crucial, more than ever before, that we get you all out on the street!!!

"Many of you have contacted us asking what the purpose of the next demo is, I would ask you all to spare two minutes to read this missive.

The way forward has become all too clear – Westminster have chosen to ignore us, especially when we spoke of the "rising tide of resentment". Well, that tide has become a tsunami, and as far as many influential people are concerned, we have only now proved that we have an "army" to be reckoned with!

So, now we can ignore Westminster, and we are going to use our army to…..

"LAY SIEGE TO LONDON"

….well Westminster really, but the notion is better when we call it "London". And by presenting this totally outrageous "notion" i.e that in the year 2009, a group could lay siege to the biggest Capital City in Europe, all the more respect will be derived when we do.

Monday, May 11th 2009 [FULL DETAILS] will be the first in a series of demos that, with Police backing, are going to do a slow ride around WCC bringing any 4-wheel transport therein to a standstill.

Now, I know a lot of you out there are "uncomfortable" with the idea of upsetting other road-users, but you must realise that, quite simply, we have to make a point and will unfortunately have to inconvenience people, it is only then will they realise that the root cause falls at WCC’s door. The Cabbies do it; the tube-drivers do it – why? because they know the longer they hold out, the more nervous the Authorities get because they know that the initial public outcry against the strikers will soon turn to anger against the "oppressing" authority.

However, unlike others, we are going all out to "advise" Londoners to STAY AWAY if they don’t want to be caught up. The advantage of this is that it gives us to form of promoting our cause. One encourages would be supporters to join, whilst an equally powerful simultaneous message tell others to stay away. Both messages will invoke thought and curiosity in equal measure.

Believe me when I say, the more we do these sorts of demos, the more WCC get very nervous, because they know that, once we have taken the flak from the "inconvenienced" public, that same public will eventually turn on WCC and demand that they concede to our demands – and that is simple – SCRAP THE TAX, nothing else.

People keep telling us we should be "saying this" and "presenting that", but what they don’t seem to realise is that there is no-one to say it, or present it to!!! WCC don’t want to know, and there isn’t a Court that rules on such matters. To coin a modern phrase, our only chance is in the "Court of Public Opinion" which is having more and more teeth these days.

As I say, we are an army, and they will have to listen to us – period. To achieve this, we need to get everybody back out on the street so that our credibility is confirmed, and that when we say that we are "laying siege" to the biggest Capital City in Europe, we prove that we can do it.

Spread the word and lets swell our ranks. Every time we do a demo, we empower more people by shaking them out of their reverie of apathy and feelings of impotence, and give them the cause by which they can be heard. Together we will crush this tax.

See you on the 11th May!

Best

Warren"

Download print off and spread the word! Posters and fliers for the 11th!

Click here to be taken to the page on the website with the posters and fliers available for download. Start spreading the word now! Get leafletting out on the street, get posters up in shops and businesses! Anywhere you can get the campaign mentioned go for it! The campaign relies on your guys out there in the field to spread the message! This is a grass-roots word of mouth campaign.

By the way, we still need more of your "unfairly issued" PCN Horror Stories.

We have been approached by a leading harassment lawyer, have you had an unfair PCN? Submit your case to our lawyers NOW! [FULL DETAILS AND FORM].

<<First Name>> <<Last Name>> THANK YOU!

<<First Name>> <<Last Name>>, thank you for your continued support, the campaign would be nothing without you! We have much appreciation for all the supporters of the campaign, you are standing up and doing something! May we end this tax! Thank you! See you on the 11th May 2009!

The No To the Bike Parking Tax Committee.

PS. It has been brought to our attention that another group, totally unconnected to the NTBPT Committee have been discussing the issue of WCC’s Parking Tax on a site called www.torytax.com, so you might find some interesting reading there.

In this email:

• Message from campaign Chairman Warren.
• Download 11th May fliers and posters. Spread the word!
• Had an unfair PCN? Submit your case to our lawyers now!

Why its crucial, more than ever before, that we get you all out on the street!!!

"Many of you have contacted us asking what the purpose of the next demo is, I would ask you all to spare two minutes to read this missive.

The way forward has become all too clear – Westminster have chosen to ignore us, especially when we spoke of the "rising tide of resentment". Well, that tide has become a tsunami, and as far as many influential people are concerned, we have only now proved that we have an "army" to be reckoned with!

So, now we can ignore Westminster, and we are going to use our army to…..

"LAY SIEGE TO LONDON"

….well Westminster really, but the notion is better when we call it "London". And by presenting this totally outrageous "notion" i.e that in the year 2009, a group could lay siege to the biggest Capital City in Europe, all the more respect will be derived when we do.

Monday, May 11th 2009 [FULL DETAILS] will be the first in a series of demos that, with Police backing, are going to do a slow ride around WCC bringing any 4-wheel transport therein to a standstill.

Now, I know a lot of you out there are "uncomfortable" with the idea of upsetting other road-users, but you must realise that, quite simply, we have to make a point and will unfortunately have to inconvenience people, it is only then will they realise that the root cause falls at WCC’s door. The Cabbies do it; the tube-drivers do it – why? because they know the longer they hold out, the more nervous the Authorities get because they know that the initial public outcry against the strikers will soon turn to anger against the "oppressing" authority.

However, unlike others, we are going all out to "advise" Londoners to STAY AWAY if they don’t want to be caught up. The advantage of this is that it gives us to form of promoting our cause. One encourages would be supporters to join, whilst an equally powerful simultaneous message tell others to stay away. Both messages will invoke thought and curiosity in equal measure.

Believe me when I say, the more we do these sorts of demos, the more WCC get very nervous, because they know that, once we have taken the flak from the "inconvenienced" public, that same public will eventually turn on WCC and demand that they concede to our demands – and that is simple – SCRAP THE TAX, nothing else.

People keep telling us we should be "saying this" and "presenting that", but what they don’t seem to realise is that there is no-one to say it, or present it to!!! WCC don’t want to know, and there isn’t a Court that rules on such matters. To coin a modern phrase, our only chance is in the "Court of Public Opinion" which is having more and more teeth these days.

As I say, we are an army, and they will have to listen to us – period. To achieve this, we need to get everybody back out on the street so that our credibility is confirmed, and that when we say that we are "laying siege" to the biggest Capital City in Europe, we prove that we can do it.

Spread the word and lets swell our ranks. Every time we do a demo, we empower more people by shaking them out of their reverie of apathy and feelings of impotence, and give them the cause by which they can be heard. Together we will crush this tax.

See you on the 11th May!

Best

Warren"

Download print off and spread the word! Posters and fliers for the 11th!

Click here to be taken to the page on the website with the posters and fliers available for download. Start spreading the word now! Get leafletting out on the street, get posters up in shops and businesses! Anywhere you can get the campaign mentioned go for it! The campaign relies on your guys out there in the field to spread the message! This is a grass-roots word of mouth campaign.

By the way, we still need more of your "unfairly issued" PCN Horror Stories.

We have been approached by a leading harassment lawyer, have you had an unfair PCN? Submit your case to our lawyers NOW! [FULL DETAILS AND FORM].

<<First Name>> <<Last Name>> THANK YOU!

<<First Name>> <<Last Name>>, thank you for your continued support, the campaign would be nothing without you! We have much appreciation for all the supporters of the campaign, you are standing up and doing something! May we end this tax! Thank you! See you on the 11th May 2009!

The No To the Bike Parking Tax Committee.

PS. It has been brought to our attention that another group, totally unconnected to the NTBPT Committee have been discussing the issue of WCC’s Parking Tax on a site called www.torytax.com, so you might find some interesting reading there.

In this email:

• Post Easter message from chairman. And next demo details.
• A thank you message from the Met Police to the Campaign.
• A legal tact, we have a lawyer ready to create a "human case" against the tax, we need your cases NOW!
• Robert Goodwill MP has confirmed he will be meeting Cllr Chalkley.

Back to the streets with gusto – this time we mean business

"We are back from our mini Easter recess and, following your tremendous show of support on the 31st, are raring to go with renewed vigour to rid us all of this vile cancer, now known nationally as "Chalkley’s Tax".

You have seen for yourselves the incredible arrogance with which these so-called elected officials ignore the very people they convinced to elect them. You have seen how they are ready to dispense with reasoned, and proper argument in favour of protecting one of their own, and for that they must be exposed.

What you will not however have seen is the astonishing change of attitude from many influential people who now view us in a totally different light, recognising us as a force to be reckoned with. Suffice to say, our credibility rating went through a crucial ceiling on the 31st, and we are a lot closer to levelling the playing field.

It is abundantly obvious that preaching our discontent to the closed-shop, deaf-ears of Westminster Council is wasting our time. As I said before, these people purposely promote the feelings of "ignorance" (what we don’t know can’t hurt us), "apathy" (challenging them is just so much hassle) and "impotence" (I want to do something, but what can I do?) within us, the general populous, to help them instigate these cancers into our midst. Therefore, it is our mission to overcome these by not only educating the residents and retailers of Westminster as to the real motivation behind these self-serving Councillors, but also by showing other aggrieved citizens that there is something they can do, and to give them voice within an ever-increasingly large and powerful organisation of opposition.

We must take our campaign back to the street, and we will demonstrate:-

1. how powerful we are becoming through sheer numbers wanting to express their disgust
2. to the retailers how many people they are losing as customers as a direct result of WCC’s greed
3. what a pleasant contrast to the normal 4-wheel congested streets the quieter, cleaner, 2-wheel filled streets can be.

For starters, Monday 11th May 2009 will be the first……"Motorcycle Mass, Mayhem Monday"…..when we will make the main retail streets of Westminster a "2-wheel/pedestrian/tube-user zone" ONLY.

We’ll gather again in Trafalgar Square between 5.45pm – 6:15pm and will leave at 6.30pm for a slow ride around the main shopping areas of Westminster bringing the interior to a complete standstill [FULL DEMO ROUTE MAP HERE].

And before we hear a few of you expressing your concerns regarding our "upsetting" the road-using public, we will be mounting a massive PR campaign to "advise" the to avoid Central London UNLESS they are on motorbikes, bicycles, foot or the tube. Everyone else ain’t moving, so they best either go before, or be prepared to stay until after 9pm. In support, the Met Police, whose admiration for the way we have conducted ourselves so far, will be posting the event on the Police Bulletin Board thereby alerting all the media of the same message.

More details will become available on our website in due course, as will all the new downloads for leaflets/fliers/ and PR materials. Stay tuned to this web page http://notobikeparkingfees.com/events/

Other developments you may be interested in are:-

1. Shadow Roads Minister, Robert Goodwill MP has confirmed that he will be meeting with Cllr Chalkley
2. a leading harassment lawyer has asked to be appraised of any PCN’s that have been issued in unfair circumstances, as they wants to try to establish a class action of harassment – more details of where to send your horror stories on the website.

Make sure you mark Monday 11th May 2009 in your diaries….its gotta & gonna be our biggest demo yet!!

Warren"

A thank your from the Met Police! Congratulations to all!

"Warren I would be very grateful if you would pass on my thanks to all your staff who assisted marshalling the "No to the bike parking tax" demonstration and campaigners at the demo held on Tuesday the 31st of march 2009.

We made you and your staff aware of an event at Westminster Abbey, a memorial service for those killed in the Australian fires earlier this year. As the motorcyclist passed the Abbey, assisted by your marshals, great dignity was shown by the motorcyclists who refrained from revving their engines or sounding their horns. This was commented on by several people and I am very grateful for the part you played in ensuring this message was conveyed to the protesters."

Paul SWITZER
Chief Inspector at Metropolitan Police

A legal tact. Submit your case NOW.

We now have an harassment lawyer on board ready to create a case against Westminster. For more information about the legal tact in full and to submit your case please visit this page, we will be sending out more details soon, this email is really to welcome you back after the Easter break!

See you all on the next demo! 11th May 2009!

No To the Bike Parking Tax Committee.

In this email:

• VIDEO REPORT! WATCH IT NOW! "4,000+ AGAINST PARKING TAX DESCEND ON WCC!".
• Message from the Chairman.

WATCH VIDEO REPORT.

A video has been uploaded for you all to enjoy. The man in the studio has been busy again! 3 cheers for him! Click here to watch the video in full. Please share this with others.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN.

"I have deliberately delayed writing to you for a couple of days following our presentation to the WCC Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 31st, to let the dust settle, whilst monitoring the effects of the evening, and what an evening it was!!

To have swelled our "peaceful" numbers beyond that of the "violence-threatening" anti-capitalist protestors has made us many new friends in a myriad of places, and has isolated the WCC Tory Councillors in a totally unprecedented manner.

Of the indifferent press response, I am greatly encouraged by today’s article in The Sun which has finally recognised the national aspect of our campaign. Admittedly, the BBC’s decision to interview in the middle of the road, whilst their website ran with a prediction of what they thought would occur as opposed to what was actually happening was unfortunate, but at least showed that they have a grip on what’s happening in the capital as opposed to the like of the so-called "London" papers, the Standard & the London Paper who failed to report on it at all. Let’s be honest, how can 4,500 people gather in Trafalgar Square to challenge the richest borough in the UK, let alone the Capital, and the main London papers not acknowledge us. But you must not ignore the reality – with such little press, the credit for swelling our numbers can only be down to you guys out in the field.

Now no-one can deny that we are an army that is enlisting new recruits at a rate that has surprised even us, and that is in no small part down to you all. From the original 6 of us who formed back in September last year, our "subscribed" numbers are topping 4,000 and that is now translating into the numbers answering our "calls to arms" by turning out for our rallies. And for me the reason is plain to see: as I said before, too many people in authority in this country recognise that the traits of ignorance, apathy and general impotence allow them to act virtual carte blanche. What we have achieved is to show our fellow riders; firstly, what is truly going on, thereby removing the ignorance; secondly, by showing how much we care and are determined to fight back, we are stimulating others out of their apathy; and thirdly, and to me most crucially, we are showing that, by joining our cause, no longer do you need to feel impotent, in fact, I can see in so many of your faces the look of empowerment, and that is the most personally satisfying feeling.

As to the meeting itself, as I said to my Committee Members in a message of thanks to them all on Wednesday, this was the first time we have had the opportunity to engage the enemy face-to-face and the WCC video of the event will testify to the strong, direct and totally-dignified manner in which our case was presented against a back-drop harrying for time by the Chair, Cllr Harvey, whose constant insisting that any opposition speaker should state whether they were a resident or not, was a clear indication of their premeditated decision to justify ignoring our case on a "lack of resident opposition" stance. Hence Mr Kevin Goad’s (Assistant Director of Parking at Westminster) embarrassment at having to admit (1) that whilst the number of residents who had rejected the scheme when firstly "consulted" by WCC was over 100, the number of residents backing the scheme were zero, and then (2) that the report was indeed full of mathematical inaccuracies. Interesting how firstly that neither Mr Kieran Fitsall (who prepared the report for scrutiny), nor Mr Goad (there to back up the report), nor even Cllr Danny Chalkley himself (the architect of the tax) are residents of Westminster, and secondly, these inaccuracies weren’t picked up by the oh-so-responsible Councillor of the "Scrutiny" Committee.

I would ask you all to be under no illusions regarding what Tuesday’s meeting was about. The predetermined need to "protect-one-of-their-own" as opposed to weighing the arguments was not only blatantly apparent for all to see, but oh-so-predictable. They were never going to concede to us so publicly, and in truth, the "recommended" reductions in the tax, although totally unacceptable to us, were a clear sign that they know they have screwed-up. Decisions which will give us the result we want I can guarantee you will be made in private, and made known as quietly as this tax was implemented. I have always maintained that this campaign was going to take time, and you must all take encouragement from the fact that, as every day passes, our army is growing.

In truth, Tuesday was a fantastic night for us. We have risen from obscurity to become a powerful institution that a multitude of organisations, both authoritative and commercial, are now queuing up to sign their allegiance. We made many, many friends that night by showing, in a peaceful and educated way, we can make things change, and I can assure you all, we will achieve our aims. So, let’s take a little time to congratulate ourselves on what we have achieved so far, and then concentrate our minds on the task ahead.

It has given us all a clear indication as to where we should be focusing our message – the residents and retailers of WCC. And judging by how quick Danny Chalkley was to shout foul when we fly-posted the retailers, it is clear that WCC fear the truth being exposed, so I would ask you all to put your minds to suggesting ways in which you would like to see this happening. I have suggested that the Committee take a small break over Easter, mainly because they, like many of you, have worked tirelessly to promote our cause, and also so that they can reflect on the challenge before us as a Committee of marshalling the almighty force of so many to the best effect. We will be listening to all of your comments and thoughts, so do keep them coming, and we will announce our strategies for going forward later this month.

I will ask Josef to add some juicy photos and the new Video of the demo to this missive, but in the meantime, please keep spreading the word. THE FIGHT GOES ON TO THE DEATH (of the tax that is!!).

Yours,

Warren Djanogly"

SEE YOU ALL ON THE NEXT DEMO!
KEEP ON SPREADING THE WORD! GET OTHERS TO JOIN OUR MAILING LIST OR FACEBOOK GROUP. TO BE KEPT INFORMED.
WE WILL BE IN CONTACT SOON WITH THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD.

In this email:

• VIDEO REPORT! WATCH IT NOW! "4,000+ AGAINST PARKING TAX DESCEND ON WCC!".
• Message from the Chairman.

WATCH VIDEO REPORT.

A video has been uploaded for you all to enjoy. The man in the studio has been busy again! 3 cheers for him! Click here to watch the video in full. Please share this with others.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN.

"I have deliberately delayed writing to you for a couple of days following our presentation to the WCC Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 31st, to let the dust settle, whilst monitoring the effects of the evening, and what an evening it was!!

To have swelled our "peaceful" numbers beyond that of the "violence-threatening" anti-capitalist protestors has made us many new friends in a myriad of places, and has isolated the WCC Tory Councillors in a totally unprecedented manner.

Of the indifferent press response, I am greatly encouraged by today’s article in The Sun which has finally recognised the national aspect of our campaign. Admittedly, the BBC’s decision to interview in the middle of the road, whilst their website ran with a prediction of what they thought would occur as opposed to what was actually happening was unfortunate, but at least showed that they have a grip on what’s happening in the capital as opposed to the like of the so-called "London" papers, the Standard & the London Paper who failed to report on it at all. Let’s be honest, how can 4,500 people gather in Trafalgar Square to challenge the richest borough in the UK, let alone the Capital, and the main London papers not acknowledge us. But you must not ignore the reality – with such little press, the credit for swelling our numbers can only be down to you guys out in the field.

Now no-one can deny that we are an army that is enlisting new recruits at a rate that has surprised even us, and that is in no small part down to you all. From the original 6 of us who formed back in September last year, our "subscribed" numbers are topping 4,000 and that is now translating into the numbers answering our "calls to arms" by turning out for our rallies. And for me the reason is plain to see: as I said before, too many people in authority in this country recognise that the traits of ignorance, apathy and general impotence allow them to act virtual carte blanche. What we have achieved is to show our fellow riders; firstly, what is truly going on, thereby removing the ignorance; secondly, by showing how much we care and are determined to fight back, we are stimulating others out of their apathy; and thirdly, and to me most crucially, we are showing that, by joining our cause, no longer do you need to feel impotent, in fact, I can see in so many of your faces the look of empowerment, and that is the most personally satisfying feeling.

As to the meeting itself, as I said to my Committee Members in a message of thanks to them all on Wednesday, this was the first time we have had the opportunity to engage the enemy face-to-face and the WCC video of the event will testify to the strong, direct and totally-dignified manner in which our case was presented against a back-drop harrying for time by the Chair, Cllr Harvey, whose constant insisting that any opposition speaker should state whether they were a resident or not, was a clear indication of their premeditated decision to justify ignoring our case on a "lack of resident opposition" stance. Hence Mr Kevin Goad’s (Assistant Director of Parking at Westminster) embarrassment at having to admit (1) that whilst the number of residents who had rejected the scheme when firstly "consulted" by WCC was over 100, the number of residents backing the scheme were zero, and then (2) that the report was indeed full of mathematical inaccuracies. Interesting how firstly that neither Mr Kieran Fitsall (who prepared the report for scrutiny), nor Mr Goad (there to back up the report), nor even Cllr Danny Chalkley himself (the architect of the tax) are residents of Westminster, and secondly, these inaccuracies weren’t picked up by the oh-so-responsible Councillor of the "Scrutiny" Committee.

I would ask you all to be under no illusions regarding what Tuesday’s meeting was about. The predetermined need to "protect-one-of-their-own" as opposed to weighing the arguments was not only blatantly apparent for all to see, but oh-so-predictable. They were never going to concede to us so publicly, and in truth, the "recommended" reductions in the tax, although totally unacceptable to us, were a clear sign that they know they have screwed-up. Decisions which will give us the result we want I can guarantee you will be made in private, and made known as quietly as this tax was implemented. I have always maintained that this campaign was going to take time, and you must all take encouragement from the fact that, as every day passes, our army is growing.

In truth, Tuesday was a fantastic night for us. We have risen from obscurity to become a powerful institution that a multitude of organisations, both authoritative and commercial, are now queuing up to sign their allegiance. We made many, many friends that night by showing, in a peaceful and educated way, we can make things change, and I can assure you all, we will achieve our aims. So, let’s take a little time to congratulate ourselves on what we have achieved so far, and then concentrate our minds on the task ahead.

It has given us all a clear indication as to where we should be focusing our message – the residents and retailers of WCC. And judging by how quick Danny Chalkley was to shout foul when we fly-posted the retailers, it is clear that WCC fear the truth being exposed, so I would ask you all to put your minds to suggesting ways in which you would like to see this happening. I have suggested that the Committee take a small break over Easter, mainly because they, like many of you, have worked tirelessly to promote our cause, and also so that they can reflect on the challenge before us as a Committee of marshalling the almighty force of so many to the best effect. We will be listening to all of your comments and thoughts, so do keep them coming, and we will announce our strategies for going forward later this month.

I will ask Josef to add some juicy photos and the new Video of the demo to this missive, but in the meantime, please keep spreading the word. THE FIGHT GOES ON TO THE DEATH (of the tax that is!!).

Yours,

Warren Djanogly"

SEE YOU ALL ON THE NEXT DEMO!
KEEP ON SPREADING THE WORD! GET OTHERS TO JOIN OUR MAILING LIST OR FACEBOOK GROUP. TO BE KEPT INFORMED.
WE WILL BE IN CONTACT SOON WITH THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD.