The No Parking Meters Party has fallen at the first hurdle in its campaign to persuade the local councils of NSW that they should impose a $50 registration fee on bike riders.
Last night Randwick City Council voted 13 to 2 not to take the idea to the next Local Government and Shires Association meeting.
Greens Councillor Murray Matson who opposed it said after the meeting.
"Councillors from the Greens, Labor and the Liberals got up one after the other and said it was a bad idea that would be counter productive in improving road congestion.
Most of us also thought that it would be a nightmare for the RTA to implement and an economically onerous task for Councils and the police to enforce."
Cr Matson said that the Greens considered that compulsory registration fees would discourage individual members of society who want to practice positive environmental practices in their own life styles.
He elaborated,
"Councils like Randwick can not on one hand talk up the need for positive ESD action and on the other hand call for the economic punishing of alternative transport users. Council did the right thing and killed off this outdated idea before it picked up any momentum at the local Council level."
The only other Councillor who voted for Councillor Charles Matthew’s (No Parking Meters Party) defeated motion was independent Councillor Anthony Andrews who represents the Maroubra area of Randwick City Council.
Councillor Matson criticized Councillor Andrews for "…letting down the bike riders of his electorate".
He said,
"I can not understand how a Councillor who represents an urban electorate could vote for an anti bike initiative. The bike riding commuters of Maroubra must surely feel that Councillor Andrews is out of touch with his constituency."
CONTACT: Greens Councillor Murray Matson 0409-984-587