Dear <<First Name>>,

It’s only been a fortnight since the last NTBPT campaign newsletter, but what a fortnight it’s been! A lot has been happening in many areas of this campaign, but there are two main stories which have eclipsed all others, both of which can have roots deep within OUR campaign, and both highlight why, more than ever, we must make our voice ever-louder by ramping up our street-demos:

Evening and Weekend Car Parking Charges Scrapped!
It’s the news that surely no-one could have missed, but in case you did, Westminster Council announced last week that the plans to charge cars to park in the West End during evenings and weekends are to be scrapped.

Though this is a little outside our campaign, there can be no doubt that firstly, our new found alliances have proved to be a formidable force capable of taking down Britain’s wealthiest and most powerful council; and secondly that the continued efforts of this campaign helped pile on the pressure for WCC that culminated in the collapse of their evening and weekend charging aspirations.

Predictably Lee Rowley – until a few days ago a vigorous and outspoken proponent of the new charges, and whose political future now looks distinctly shaky – has begun bleating about how the council was wrong and how it really will listen next time. More spin and platitudes from a man desperately trying to salvage the shattered remains of his career, amid a continuing chorus for his resignation by the local press angered by Rowley’s ill-judged pro-Barrow stance.

Barrow Resigns!
Yes, the man who became public enemy number one for anyone wishing to park for free in the borough, Colin Barrow, leader of Westminster Council, has resigned!

The decision is believed to have been taken alongside the scrapping of the evening charges and the news has been welcomed by all those who believed that the rot in Westminster’s Parking department began at the very top.

The official line is that Barrow always intended to go around this time. The widely held, and somewhat different, view is that his beloved evening and weekend parking charges were so reviled, so pernicious, so universally opposed by so many people including Lords, MPs, the Mayor, Westminster businessmen and a whole legion of heavyweight opponents, that his position became untenable and he had no choice but to “move on”.

It would seem that NTBPT’s long-held strategy of continuously naming self-serving bureaucrats like Mr Barrow, so often concealing their true identity under the all-encompassing title of “Councillor”, that the press finally became wise to his unsuitablility for public office.

Here’s how the Evening Standard described his departure: “The manner of Colin Barrow's resignation as Conservative leader of Westminster City Council was in keeping with his tenure: it was a shabby, calculated affair. He issued an announcement late on Friday evening, presumably in the hope that this way it would occasion the least comment. It didn't work. But then arrogance was the characteristic of Mr Barrow's time in office, most obviously in the way he directed the council's ill-conceived parking plans.” Pretty much in keeping with our own assessment of Mr Barrow (or Benefit-Fraudster Barrow as was known to us).

Similarly, like many Westminster Residents, few at Tory Party Headquarters would have known much about Colin Barrow, save that he was a party social-climber who had reached the dizzy heights of Leader of Westminster Council whilst posing little threat to the more dynamic aspirations of those in the main House.

However, our numerous visits to Millbank, with our somewhat in-your-face banners clearly helped bring the tyrant to the attention of the senior personnel. As the Evening Standard was again keen to assert: “Colin Barrow's resignation brought a sigh of relief from Downing Street to City Hall. "It is good news," said one No 10 figure brutally. "Hopefully, we will now see the end of this craziness."

You can read the full article at http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24028278-no10s-relief-at-abrupt-departure-but-westminster-faces-more-craziness.do

The small matter of an impending Judicial Review, granted by the High Court in December, might also have helped Mr. Barrow decide on a change of course for his future!

However, as always, when the breaking of the usual political allegiances is deemed prudent, we can once again see the two-facedness of our elected officials, none more so than Mayor Boris Johnson. Questioned on camera, Barrow claimed that a major driving force behind WCC’s scrapping of the proposed evening & Sunday charges was the pressure exerted by Mayor Johnson. At yet, when exactly the same arguments, but pertaining to the equally unpalable and illogical motorcycle parking charges were put to a supposed pro-motorcycling Mayor, his response – “Unfortunately, I have NO influence over WCC’s decisions” – yeah! Right!

The Next Phase for NTBPT
So what can we, the No To Bike Parking Tax campaign group, take from all this?

Firstly the events of the last week prove that this council can be beaten. It takes persistence, resolve, strong strategies and a little bit of luck, but it can be done.

Secondly, someone is going to replace Colin Barrow very soon. Our job now is to make that someone all too aware that keeping the bike tax is simply not an option. Do not underestimate the massive contribution this campaign made – in chipping away at the foundations of Barrow’s empire – to the final killer blow dealt him by the evening charges campaigners. Barrow’s replacement will be inheriting an empire teetering on the brink of collapse. Let’s show them that we’re still there, poised and ready to deliver the final shove!

Thirdly, the council’s credibility has been shot to pieces by the whole evening parking affair. The enemy is weakened and the press are keen to stick the boot in.

And that’s where we come in.
Barrow’s resignation and the cancelling of the evening charges has left the London-centric media with a parking-story vacuum just crying out to be filled. And what better way to fill it than with a story about a few thousand bikers descending on central London to fight the good fight against this vile and unnecessary tax!

Writing & talking about local councils’ abusing their powers by using parking charges to swell the war-chests has become a la mode. Clearly thinking that if WCC can get away with it, then so can anyone, Nottingham Council are poised to emulate by introducing Sunday parking charges. Without the public backlash, could you ever imagine such a story making anything but the inner pages of a local rag. Cue last Sunday’s Andrew Marr show where Tory MP Anna Soubry highlights the story & makes reference of WCC”s volte face, hoping her council will get the hint. View it here at:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01bf2np/The_Andrew_Marr_Show_22_01_2012/ at 20mins 40secs.

Could the MP’s finally be starting to take note of the public’s revulsion of such blatant revenue-raising?

Interestingly, prior to this on the Andrew Marr show, Labour MP Peter Hain remembers his own street-demonstrating in his younger days, proving that taking to the streets gets the message across, despite some incredible lengths the authorities of the day went to trying to stop him.

WESC – 25^th January 2012 – we’re still fighting
If the council thought its parking woes were over, let’s make them realise in no uncertain terms that its longest running problem (us) are more determined than ever before to get the bike parking tax scrapped, once and for all. Now is the time to change up a gear and really make it count! Don’t forget we now have some powerful allies with a proven track record of defeating this council. Let’s show them their support for our cause is appreciated by turning out in droves!

Don’t forget also that with the Olympics getting ever closer, we’re going to have a busy summer demo schedule ahead. After the biking ‘off-season’ over winter, we could doubtless all do with a little practice to refine our en-masse-walking-speed-riding-skills! And where better for that than Trafalgar Square in the rush hour!

If you’ve missed the last few events, make sure you don’t miss this one. If you thought the council weren’t worried about us (they are, by the way, – very), come along on Wednesday and let’s make them even more worried!

This pernicious parking tax WILL be stamped out! Make sure your boot prints are among those that did the stamping!

Meet at the Batcave (Villiers Street) at 5.30 for a 6pm ride out.

Mass Ride Out – Saturday 31^St March 2012
In our last newsletter we said that we hoped to post photos of our 4,000 strong mega demo on this newsletter so that people could try and “tag” themselves in readiness for a commemorative ride out in March. Unfortunately, with all that’s been happening, we haven’t been able to turn that around for this newsletter. But we’ll get it sorted very soon. Watch this space.

Social Exclusion in Europe
You’ll remember that we reported previously that a case had been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) challenging Westminster Council’s discriminatory policy of having Pay by Phone as the only means of paying to park a motorcycle. Well the good news is that the ECHR has contacted our man Legolas (who brought the case on behalf of two phoneless bikers) and confirmed that the case is now being processed.

Similarly, the assessment of the UK Government’s response to the EU concerning our actual complaint to the EU regarding potential corruption surrounding NSL Ltd re-award of the parking enforcement contract, which saw WCC lay out an incredible £600,000 to rival Mouchel in an out-of-court settlement is due next month. Could Barrow’s legacy include landing his old boss Mr Cameron in the ECJ?

Let’s hope Europe can see the simple truth that the UK authorities refuse to acknowledge.

We’re the NTBPT – more determined than ever to fight where even the MCIA was too scared. Are you with us? If so, see you on Wednesday or March 31.

In the meantime, please ride safe.

Warren, the Committee, and guest contributor, Legolas