Corporation of London & Security railings.
Discussion
As the office move comes closer, I emailed the Corp if they had thought of installing railings into the parking bay outside my new offices.....At least they responded.....
Dear Mr Matthews,
The City Corporation does not consider that railings to provide for motorcycle security are appropriate in the City, because of the obstruction that they cause to pedestrian passage. As you note, some other London local highway authorities have installed railings, but the City experiences extremely high pedestrian flows, particularly at commuting periods and at lunchtimes, and the City Corporation is working wherever possible to remove footway obstructions and does not wish to introduce any new ones if this can be avoided.
Some local authorities use ground anchors, and the City is not opposed to the use of ground anchor designs that are flush with the carriageway surface when they are not in use. Unfortunately however, our monitoring of the usage of ground anchors in those solo motorcycle parking bays in Central and Inner London that have these devices installed shows that they receive very low levels of use, and in these circumstances we have not been able to make a case for the significant expenditure of scarce public funds that providing ground anchors to secure the 99 on-street solo motorcycle parking bays in the City would involve.
So, just the 2 padlocks for me then! No-one's gonna nick it....It's Black..it's just too fast for most people...Right Hobo?
Dear Mr Matthews,
The City Corporation does not consider that railings to provide for motorcycle security are appropriate in the City, because of the obstruction that they cause to pedestrian passage. As you note, some other London local highway authorities have installed railings, but the City experiences extremely high pedestrian flows, particularly at commuting periods and at lunchtimes, and the City Corporation is working wherever possible to remove footway obstructions and does not wish to introduce any new ones if this can be avoided.
Some local authorities use ground anchors, and the City is not opposed to the use of ground anchor designs that are flush with the carriageway surface when they are not in use. Unfortunately however, our monitoring of the usage of ground anchors in those solo motorcycle parking bays in Central and Inner London that have these devices installed shows that they receive very low levels of use, and in these circumstances we have not been able to make a case for the significant expenditure of scarce public funds that providing ground anchors to secure the 99 on-street solo motorcycle parking bays in the City would involve.
So, just the 2 padlocks for me then! No-one's gonna nick it....It's Black..it's just too fast for most people...Right Hobo?
Up to you mate - I would not park on the street in London again without something secure to chain it to.
Both a colleague and I have had bikes (chained and alarmed) lifted from a busy bike bay in broad daylight with people watching from right outside my office.
If you take a look at most bike bays they're normally full of fairly low value bikes. Put something half decent in there and it'll stand out like a sore thumb and get pinched. No doubt whatsoever.
This is the letter I used:
Planning
Southwark Council
Town Hall
Peckham Road
London SE5 8UB
Wednesday, 17 March 2004
To Whom It May Concern
As you can see from my office address, I run a company based on ******** Street, London SE1. Opposite my building is a much appreciated free motorcycle parking bay which myself and other employees from my company use.
Unfortunately for me, last year my motorcycle was stolen from this bay by a team of professional thieves who lifted it (with it’s chain on and alarm sounding) into the back of a van and drove off. The police could not trace the number plate on the van as it was a phoney plate. Since then I have learnt that this was the 3rd time that year that this had happened and there may be many more that I am not aware of.
I am writing this letter to request that some form of railing and/or ground anchors are fitted to this bay to enable riders to chain their bikes to something immobile. I appreciate that the bay is put there at the owners risk but I believe that money would be saved, on police time alone, by the fitting of such devices. Unfortunately, bike theft is a common problem in London and is on the increase as more and more people are choosing this method of transport to combat congestion and congestion charges.
Many countries in Europe have bike bays with rails/anchors for the owners to secure their vehicles to and encourage more people to use this method of transport without the financial risk that we have in England. With the emphasis on ‘congestion’ as a whole I think that this would be a big step forward for the borough.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
I like to think that the congestion angle helped to some degree.
Both a colleague and I have had bikes (chained and alarmed) lifted from a busy bike bay in broad daylight with people watching from right outside my office.
If you take a look at most bike bays they're normally full of fairly low value bikes. Put something half decent in there and it'll stand out like a sore thumb and get pinched. No doubt whatsoever.
This is the letter I used:
Planning
Southwark Council
Town Hall
Peckham Road
London SE5 8UB
Wednesday, 17 March 2004
To Whom It May Concern
As you can see from my office address, I run a company based on ******** Street, London SE1. Opposite my building is a much appreciated free motorcycle parking bay which myself and other employees from my company use.
Unfortunately for me, last year my motorcycle was stolen from this bay by a team of professional thieves who lifted it (with it’s chain on and alarm sounding) into the back of a van and drove off. The police could not trace the number plate on the van as it was a phoney plate. Since then I have learnt that this was the 3rd time that year that this had happened and there may be many more that I am not aware of.
I am writing this letter to request that some form of railing and/or ground anchors are fitted to this bay to enable riders to chain their bikes to something immobile. I appreciate that the bay is put there at the owners risk but I believe that money would be saved, on police time alone, by the fitting of such devices. Unfortunately, bike theft is a common problem in London and is on the increase as more and more people are choosing this method of transport to combat congestion and congestion charges.
Many countries in Europe have bike bays with rails/anchors for the owners to secure their vehicles to and encourage more people to use this method of transport without the financial risk that we have in England. With the emphasis on ‘congestion’ as a whole I think that this would be a big step forward for the borough.
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
I like to think that the congestion angle helped to some degree.
chilli said:
Hmmm, obviously a bit more accommodating than "the Corp". I was going to ask anyone in the new building if we could lock bikes together.....or would they just nick both?!
Good tip - put your chain through someone elses chain. Either of you can get their bike out when they want - thieves can't easily nick both and should hopefully move on to someone other poor souls bike.
Carrera2 said:
Up to you mate - I would not park on the street in London again without something secure to chain it to.
Both a colleague and I have had bikes (chained and alarmed) lifted from a busy bike bay in broad daylight with people watching from right outside my office.
Both a colleague and I have had bikes (chained and alarmed) lifted from a busy bike bay in broad daylight with people watching from right outside my office.
Agreed. All you need is a van with motorcycle recovery on the side and people will think the bike is being recovered because of a problem with it.
Steve.
Steve_T said:
Carrera2 said:
Up to you mate - I would not park on the street in London again without something secure to chain it to.
Both a colleague and I have had bikes (chained and alarmed) lifted from a busy bike bay in broad daylight with people watching from right outside my office.
Both a colleague and I have had bikes (chained and alarmed) lifted from a busy bike bay in broad daylight with people watching from right outside my office.
Agreed. All you need is a van with motorcycle recovery on the side and people will think the bike is being recovered because of a problem with it.
Steve.
Exactly, the more blase the better it seems. And to be honest - who's going to go up to them and ask what they're doing?
When mine was pinched a old Jamaican woman wrote down the reg number of the van for me, driven by '4 white boy'
Bless her - pity it turned out to be a spoof plate 
Carrera2 said:
chilli said:
Hmmm, obviously a bit more accommodating than "the Corp". I was going to ask anyone in the new building if we could lock bikes together.....or would they just nick both?!
Good tip - put your chain through someone elses chain. Either of you can get their bike out when they want - thieves can't easily nick both and should hopefully move on to someone other poor souls bike.
I think the whole concept of locking two locks together is great, but not so sure about paying £20 for life membership for another tax-disc sized badge and a couple of stickers.
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
ultimasimon said:
I think the whole concept of locking two locks together is great, but not so sure about paying £20 for life membership for another tax-disc sized badge and a couple of stickers.
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
I'd be happy with that, as long as I knew who it was!!!
chilli said:
ultimasimon said:
I think the whole concept of locking two locks together is great, but not so sure about paying £20 for life membership for another tax-disc sized badge and a couple of stickers.
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
I'd be happy with that, as long as I knew who it was!!!
Why does it matter who it is?
PhillVR6 said:
chilli said:
ultimasimon said:
I think the whole concept of locking two locks together is great, but not so sure about paying £20 for life membership for another tax-disc sized badge and a couple of stickers.
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
Question is: If you came back to your bike and someone had joined their lock to yours would you take it as a compliment or find it offensive?
I'd be happy with that, as long as I knew who it was!!!
Why does it matter who it is?
Cause suppose either of us wants to go home....how we gonna undo the others' lock? (or am I missing something?)
I have my own (and another approx 200 bikers) problem.
For those that know it, Swan Lane car park in the City is going to close on August 31st 2006. When I started parking there, there was approximately 100 bikes that parked there, but as "Red Ken" has started to get rid of the majority of parking bays, and as people have become fed up with bikes stolen or damaged in the bays, that number has increased to approx 200.
Come September 1st it is gonna be a nightmare. They have suggested two alternative car parks - one an extra 10 mins walk for me, and one an extra 20 mins walk (after a 10 min journey!!) - so I have one feasible place to park it. Except this car park only has around 50 spaces, and is already full by 9:00am!
It is gonna be very interesting. We wrote to the corporation, and they stated that it is the companies responsibility to provide parking, as more and more buildings are built in London.
Does make you ask the question, is Red Ken trying to ease congestion? Or earn some money out of the bikers that are exempt from his congestion tax?
I know where I think the answer lies!
For those that know it, Swan Lane car park in the City is going to close on August 31st 2006. When I started parking there, there was approximately 100 bikes that parked there, but as "Red Ken" has started to get rid of the majority of parking bays, and as people have become fed up with bikes stolen or damaged in the bays, that number has increased to approx 200.
Come September 1st it is gonna be a nightmare. They have suggested two alternative car parks - one an extra 10 mins walk for me, and one an extra 20 mins walk (after a 10 min journey!!) - so I have one feasible place to park it. Except this car park only has around 50 spaces, and is already full by 9:00am!
It is gonna be very interesting. We wrote to the corporation, and they stated that it is the companies responsibility to provide parking, as more and more buildings are built in London.
Does make you ask the question, is Red Ken trying to ease congestion? Or earn some money out of the bikers that are exempt from his congestion tax?
I know where I think the answer lies!
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