Hackney mayoral by-election: Two more hustings announced – including one hosted by motorcycle parking campaigners

A motorcyclist protests outside the Town Hall last year. Photograph: Julia Gregory

The Hackney mayoral by-election is revving up, with two more hustings announced.

An event organised by motorcyclists will give voters a chance to put the six candidates on the spot.

Save London Motorcycling (SLMC) and the UK National Motorcyclists Council will host the online hustings on 2 November – a week before residents go to the polls.

It follows a campaign against Hackney Council’s parking price hike for motorbikes and scooters.

SLMC said the increase “would see motorcycle and scooter commuters in Hackney charged more than £2,000 a year to park”.

Campaigners have asked all the candidates to sign up to their condemnation of the charges.

Motorcyclists are calling for the council “to go back to the drawing board and develop plans which work for the residents, workers and carers of Hackney, and don’t push thousands into transport poverty at the height of the cost-of-living crisis”.

The online hustings starts at 6pm on Thursday 2 November and people can sign up to attend at savelondonmc.com/hustings.

Independent candidate Peter Smorthit has also taken the unusual step of arranging a hustings.

He said the event, at Premises Studios on Hackney Road from 7.30pm on Monday 6 November, will be “non-biased” and “non-partisan”, with all candidates invited.

Hackney Cycling Campaign is holding its own transport-related hustings event on Wednesday 1 November.

They have asked the candidates to sign up to their five road safety demands.

These include safer travelling to and from school for children, an extension of low traffic neighbourhoods, safe and affordable bike parking, more accessible travel on council housing estates, and urgent action on road safety.

The event starts at 7.30pm at the Pembury Centre, Atkins Square, off Dalston Street.

Hackney’s mayoral by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour’s Philip Glanville, who quit over his association with a former councillor.

The candidates standing on Thursday 9 November are: Zoë Garbett, Green; Caroline Woodley, Labour; Peter Smorthit, Independent; Simon de Deney, Liberal Democrat; Simche Steinberger, Conservatives; and Annoesjka Valent, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

Updated at 11:24 on 27 October 2023 to include a new sign-up link to the motorcycling hustings event.