“Businesses will be shutting down before we know it”: Upset after bikers slammed with tickets in Derbyshire biking “Mecca” Matlock Bath – as more parking patrols planned
Derbyshire County Council has confirmed the authority was planning to increase the number of parking patrols in Matlock Bath after several bikers received parking tickets.
A number of bikers were hit with parking tickets in Matlock Bath over the Easter bank holiday weekend, leaving the biking community upset.
Some riders reported that traffic officers warned them that the Dales village was set to see a more strict approach to parking rules for bikers.
This has caused upset among the biking community with Matlock Bath, considered a biking “Mecca”, attracting thousands of bikers from across the country every year.
David Ball, a biker from Chesterfield who was in Matlock Bath over the bank holiday weekend, witnessed the moment parking tickets were being issued to “around 20” bikers.
He said: “Matlock Bath is well known among bikers throughout the country and motorbike guys and girls probably bring over 90% of business to fish and chips shops and other business in the area.
"If they are going to start charging bikers for parking, it would just stop people from going to Matlock Bath and shops are really going to suffer.
"Now you pay £15 to buy fish and chips in Matlock Bath, which is double the price you're paying in any other town around the area.
"We are already paying high prices to get some food, and then they want everyone to pay for parking as well. People will not go there anymore.
"It’s the same old nonsense about nuisance but I think it’s purely a revenue stream from the tickets.
“The way the vast majority of bikers park there is not causing any obstructions.”
Mick Humphries, a biker who visits Matlock Bath, also saw tickets being handed to bikers.
He said: “I went over the weekend and parked by the rails on path with loads of other bikers.
"Traffic wardens came along when I was in the chippy. I rushed out and put my neck scarf over the number plate.
"I’ve been going to Matlock a couple of times every year and I’ve not seen anyone ever get a ticket when I’ve been before.
"If the council hand out tickets to bikers regularly, I would not stop going. I would try to find somewhere to park.
"But if it got too bad with many parking tickets, people would stop going.”
Jake Brewster, who runs Bad Dog Paintwork & Servicing, a business providing motorcycle services in Little Eaton, said that many of his customers were concerned about the plans for more parking patrols in Matlock Bath.
He said: "We are very in the loop with the local biking community and everyone I've spoken to says they just won't go to Matlock Bath anymore if the council put in parking meters for bikers or start ticketing bikers.
"It’s a shame because Matlock Bath is such a big thing for the biking community.
“And it really is the biking community that keeps them Matlock businesses going.
"If bikers stop going to Matlock Bath, businesses will be shutting down before we know it."
Every year Jake organises organises a charity bike ride in the Peak District with bikers from across the country coming to Derbyshire and visiting Matlock Bath after crossing the finish line.
He said that if stricter parking rules were introduced he would move the celebrations after the ride to a different place.
Jake, who often visits Matlock Bath with his wife, added: “Matlock Bath is always our end point but if they bring in parking chargers in or traffic wardens, we will organise it to go somewhere else instead.
"If you ride through Matlock Bath and you’re planning to spend £10 on fish and chips for example, you’re going with a different mindset then if you know you have to also spend X amount for parking, or worry how much you will have to pay if you get a parking ticket.
"It’s all mounting up very quick and people just won't go.”
Speaking about different parking rules for cars and bikers, Jake said: “A lot of bikers are calling for a coffee or something to eat.
"They are probably there for half an hour, an hour maximum.
"Once they they've had a coffee or something to eat, they're carrying on with the day.
"If there's a 100 parking spots for bikers, if 100 bikers turn up, and then an hour later they've gone and another 100 bikers turn up, you can get a lot of footfall and money coming through.
"If a family with kids come up in a car and are going out for a day for example to the Heights of Abraham, the turnaround at the parking spaces isn’t as much.
"If the council is that desperate for money that they fine bikers, they could find it from somewhere else.
"And another issues is that there aren’t enough parking spaces in Matlock Bath.
"Make more parking spaces before you fine people. But where can they do that? There’s not enough space in Matlock Bath.”
Mark Taylor, another biker who has been regularly visiting the village, criticised the plans.
He said: “Bikers keep Matlock ticking over through the quiet times and put a huge amount of money through the businesses.
"Most only stay an hour or so, then move on, but with busy days come the families in their cars taking up all the space for parking, which leaves bikes to park on the pavement opposite.
"Then the wardens come, but ticketing a bike is absolutely ridiculous if it’s not blocking access.
"You can get three or four bikes in one space but they still charge per bike.
"And people can and do knock bikes over in parking bays as well.
"Car drivers will spend a few hours in Matlock Bath, but bikers on average half an hour if they have chips, an hour max, then they get on the bike and go.”
Asked if he would stop going to Matlock Bath if the parking regulations were tougher, Mark said he wouldn't stop riding through area, but would not stop there and head somewhere else for a break instead.
Derbyshire County Council confirmed the authority was aware of parking tickets issued to bikers over the Easter weekend.
The council said the vehicles were “parked illegally” and the tickets issued would not be cancelled.
The authority said that while there were no plans to expand restrictions either in Matlock or Matlock Bath, the council was planning to increase the number of patrols in the local area in the near future to “keep pedestrians safe”.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport, Councillor Charlotte Hill said: “We take our responsibility for maintaining pedestrian safety seriously, especially in highly visited areas.
"Unfortunately, this does mean we have to act when road users break the rules, hence our enforcement activity in Matlock Bath over the weekend.
"The tickets that were issued were given to motorists who had illegally parked their motorbikes on the pavement, outside of parking bays and on double yellow lines.
“Double yellow lines mean no waiting is allowed at any time, unless there are signs that specifically indicate otherwise. Other parking restrictions are also shown on nearby signs.
"If no days are shown, then restrictions remain in force every day including Bank Holidays and Sundays. So unfortunately, we will not be cancelling any tickets issued over the weekend.
“Whilst we are not looking to expand restrictions in either Matlock or Matlock Bath, we will be working with our colleagues at Derbyshire Police to conduct more joint patrols so we can continue to keep pedestrians safe.”
The council previously tried to introduce 50p-per-hour parking charges for bikers on the North and South Parades in 20216 and thousand of bikers joined a protest against the plans.
The biking community said they would consider organising another protest or boycotting Matlock Bath all together if the council continued to fine bikers.