Ice Creaminals queuing up for lucrative pitches

You may remember that in February I questioned whether it was fair that the South Bank Employers Group gave the Piccadilly Whip ice-cream company a prime pavement pitch by County Hall on Westminster Bridge. It appeared strange to me that a company that routinely traded while parked on the red-route, bus lane and cycle lane should be allocated a proper pitch.

It would appear that another company, which has routinely flouted the parking regulations in order to trade, reckons that if they continue to contravene the rules they'll be rewarded with a legitimate pitch too. (I'm assuming, quite possibly wrongly, that the vans are unrelated to Piccadilly Whip)

Here's the first of the vans on the bridge the other day

and here's the second, just by the Piccadilly Whip on-pavement stall

I wonder if TfL could arrange for one of Boris's new Routemaster replacements to undergo a crash test here?

A practical solution to Westminster Bridge Ice Creaminals, but is if fair?

Readers of this blog over the past couple of years will know that I've marvelled at the inability of the authorities to stop Ice Cream vans parking and trading on the red route in the cycle lane in the bus lane on Westminster Bridge, part of the the high security zone around Parliament.

I'm delighted that a seemingly sensible solution has been found, given the clear demand to purchase ice cream at this spot. A stall has been erected on the pavement at the base of the Coade stone lion.

I want to be reassured however that the decision to award the contract to Piccadilly Whip followed a fair and reasonable process and that they're paying through the nose for the pitch.

If you look at the photos of the ice cream vans trading where they shouldn't park you'll see one company time and time and time again. That's right, Piccadilly Whip.

I doubt any competitor in a tender process could more accurately judge the potential income from the site than the company that has parked in breach of the regulations to trade there over many years. That's assuming there was a tender process rather than Lambeth or TfL just striking a convenient deal with the culprits.

I can't help but wonder whether Piccadilly Whip will have the gall to add a van or two on sunny days that have the tourists out by the million. Watch this space!

UPDATE
South Bank Employers Group (SBEG) have let me know they are responsible for the pitch on Westminster Bridge.  They say,

"The pitch is one of four and is part of a pilot project to reduce illegal trading in the South Bank by licensing a small number of pitches in trading hotspots.  We have not yet completed the evaluation of the pilot, but at this stage, as you point out in your blog, it seems to have been successful in reducing the problem of ice cream vans pulling up on the Bridge and blocking the cycle lane, which I know you have a particular interest in.
I can assure you that the selection process for the pilot was transparent and fair.  We interviewed a number of different traders and selected the two that best met the assessment criteria.
Once the pilot is complete in March I can be clearer about whether we will seek to extend the scheme, but it would not be appropriate to speculate on that yet as this is a matter for the SBEG board."

Eulogies for Brian Haw

This afternoon, taking some pupils through Leake Street, we stumbled upon this ephemeral tribute to Brian Haw, the peace campaigner who spent the past decade in Parliament Square, t'other side of Westminster Bridge.

The 'War on the Motorists' blogspot believes he also merits out thanks for making Parliament Square a place again. Take a moment to read their post .

Blackfriars Bridge Flashride - first of the Bridgeheads

This Friday morning (tomorrow!) London Cycling Campaign report there'll be a  Flashride over Blackfriars Bridge - meet at 8.30am by Doggett's Pub on the southside of the bridge.

London's bridges are going to be core to the future of cycling in London. Currently they're dismal to approach and ride across.

Under Boris's regimeTfL are mucking around at the edges rather than dealing wholeheartedly with the motor traffic sick centre of London.

It's time for pedestrians and cyclists alike to reject motorway style urban planning for the Capital's core and force a move towards non-polluting, slow, quiet, clean and healthy travel.

It's time to mobilise! See you tomorrow. First Blackfriars then Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth and Vauxhall.

Read more about Blackfriars here

UK Uncut to target Ice Creaminals?

The Guardian today reports that "More than a dozen separate UK Uncut groups from around the country will head to Oxford Street at 2pm, where they will stage 14 separate protests before descending on a new, as yet unannounced, target at 3.30pm. Actor Sam West and comedians Josie Long and Mark Thomas will be joining in the protests."

Those bastions of trading where they should not be, thieving trade from local business rate paying businesses are back in force on Westminster Bridge flouting the bus and cycle lane on the red route (above today, as every day this week).

The police are attempting to move them on but seem still to be losing the battle.

Maybe UK Uncut could kettle the vans?