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Bike parking fees have been brought in for the first time in France, sparking protests from two-wheel users in several towns including hundreds of bikers who jammed a Paris suburb. Vincennes and nearby Char­en­ton-le-Pont set the charges in April. Both claim that because there are now more two-wheelers on streets riders should pay for the space they take up.

Biker protest group FFMC fears other towns could follow. Paris organiser Jean-Marc Bel­otti said: “When towns are trying to avoid traffic jams it is strange to target two-wheelers as they improve traffic flow. “Today our streets have many more scooters and almost all are former car drivers, so fewer cars on the streets. Two-wheelers should be promoted, not taxed.�

New parking systems where drivers register number plates on the meter have allowed the towns to introduce charges instead of paper tickets.

The fees are about a third of what car drivers pay.

Residents in both towns backed imposing fees, telling journalists bikes and scooters too often block the pavements.