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Beware – bicycle clamping a sign of the times
• ACHTUNG! If the bike racks at St Pancras International are full, beware…
Do not lock your bike to the railings opposite which fulfil a completely different definition of railings… according to one Netverk Rail jobsworth version of English law, it’s illegal to lock bicycles to any railings anywhere, (never mind signs visible and invisible, signs erected after bikes have been locked to railings etcetera).
This overwhelmingly informed Netverk Rail man has the awesome responsibility of letting cyclists through the turnstiles to find someone to beg for their bicycle to be unclamped. Apparently, these particular railings are property of King’s Cross station, owned by Netverk Rail. The kerbstones on the roadside upon which the tyres rested is property of London Borough of Camden. Yet is Netverk Rail property on the pedestrian side.
Legally, there should have been two clamps or a third party agreement; one to clamp the lock offending Netverk Rail and another to clamp the bicycle offending Camden.
Westminster borough has introduced parking charges for motorcycles a month after I got one. It’s quite easy to see where this bicycle clamping is heading… charging cyclists for parking.
The issue of car parking was brought up with reference to the King’s Cross development but was not addressed in depth. Bicycle parking was largely ignored. This is the new bicycle graveyard for returning cyclists after NR working hours – late at night after a rail journey – when you most need your bicycle.
MIRIAM HARRIOTT
Harrington Street, NW1
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