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Secure Parking
 NEW SECURE MOTORCYCLE LOCKERS FOR SHEFFIELD CAR PARKS
The very first secure enclosures in the UK for motorcycles are being tested in Sheffield Council's car parks.
The first three lockers have been installed in the Fitzwilliam Street Car Park and an additional three are planned for the Rockingham Street car park in the coming months.
The cost of using the lockers is 60 pence per hour and they are available 24 hours a day.
The lockers have been leased from Airflow World Group of Sheffield and are marketed under their 'Motosafe' brand that provides dry, safe and private motorcycle storage.
There are over 1,300 of their domestic "Bikesafe" units currently in use nationally. The Fitzwilliam Street units are the first installation of a car park version anywhere in the UK.
NEW SECURE MOTORCYCLE LOCKERS FOR LEEDS CITY CENTRE
Bikers visiting Leeds city centre can now leave their bikes in the utmost security at two of Leeds City Council’s car parks. From Monday 11 September two Motosafe secure lockers will be available at the Portland Crescent car park and a further two will be installed at the Markets car park.
These lockers enable motorcyclists not just to leave their valuable bikes, but also have a shelf and hangers to store their leathers, helmet and other gear to allow them to go to work, or visit the city, without having to carry everything around with them.
The lockers are very secure, protecting against both theft and vandalism – 64% of motorbike thefts are from car parks or on-street parking.
The lockers are also weatherproof. Each user operates the locker by choosing their own four-digit passcode and the unit stays locked until it receives that passcode again.
The lockers, which can also be used for scooters and pedal cycles, cost £1 an hour with a reduction for stays of over 4 hours, which is cheaper than the standard car parking rate, and are available 24 hours a day.
MEANWHILE IN LONDON
As reported in the May issue of Network, Westminster Council consulted on charging for bike parking.
Details are on the greater London MAG website http://greater-london.mag-uk .org/westpark.shtml
The website says, “One of the issues that the Council needs to consider is that any parking regime be fair and equitable to all road users.
Given that cars pay for their on-street parking (up to £4/hour, depending on area) and also have to pay for car parking, there is an argument that motorcycles should also have to pay, although not as much.”
One of the things we need to consider is whether we would be prepared to pay for parking if we got something in return – such as a secure bay, and one where each space was laid out so that the bikes were not squeezed together to make getting them out again a problem.”
There are also extra benefits to providing an adequate supply of motorcycle parking, and for that parking to have security measures such as ground anchors and/or hitching rails.
By providing secure parking facilities, something positive could be done about the appalling levels of motorcycle theft in central London.
At present, theft rates in the City of London and the West End are about 80 per 1000 a year.
If a bike is stolen then this has hidden costs, one of which is the cost associated with reporting the vehicle stolen to the Police.
If the police are able to make better use of their resources because of a bike not being stolen, then this actually saves the Council money (the Police are in part funded through the Council Tax).
By providing adequate motorcycle parking, this makes Westminster an attractive place for motorcyclists to work and visit.
MAG is currently making representations to the Council - the full text of our final report will be available on this site as soon as it is finished.”
So Would You Pay?
MAG PROTECTED
MAG members motorcycles covered by a £1000 cash reward! MAG offers through its MAG Protected Scheme a guaranteed cash reward of up to £1000 for information leading to the conviction of bike thieves.
If you are a MAG member your bike is covered.
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