(2) if he will encourage local authorities to allow motorcycles to park free of charge in (a) residents’ parking bays and (b) parking bays; and if he will make a statement.
The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 gave local authorities flexible powers to provide, charge for, regulate and restrict on-street and off-street parking facilities, in a way that reflects the needs of their local communities. These are matters for local authorities and the Department for Transport has no plans to issue guidance on the use of those powers.
Where local authorities provide parking bays for use by specific classes of vehicle only, they are responsible for ensuring that the use of those facilities is correctly specified in Traffic Regulation Orders, where necessary, and indicated with appropriate signs and markings. The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 prescribe the traffic signs and road markings for motorcycle parking and for residents’ parking bays. The Department for Transport’s Traffic Signs Manual also provides detailed guidance on the correct design and use of signs and markings.