Rayjsj Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 The situation for motohomes has always been very 'free and easy' here in Fishguard, the Pembrokeshire people are very 'Live and let live' anyway. So if you came to catch the ferry and decided to arrive early or stay late there was always a nice parking place, usually with a view for you to park up and stay a couple of days if you like. However.. This Summer two particular motorhomes have decided to take up residence in a carpark directly under the local Old Peoples Home St. Theresas, and have been there for over two months. And enevitably local people have started to 'mutter under their breath' Bloody Motorhomes... and I don't blame them, and I have started to be a bit embarrassed about being a motorhome user. The situation hasn't been helped by an Irish trucking Company 'Nolans' using the other car park as an unofficial transshipping yard and overnight 'Doss' for their drivers, with 'waste' of ALL types dumped around the perimeter of the Park. The Locals although lovely tolerant people are starting to feel that their good nature is being abused.. And it IS. Local Council Talk is of solving BOTH problems with height barriers Which I personally Loath with a vengence,and are the reason that I refuse to tour Ireland any more. COME on Forum Members there MUST be another way. Suggestions Please. Before another motorhome friendly place is LOST. (ps This is where I live) :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Are these council car parks? if so why have the council allowed two motorhomes to park for so long? Can't they send an official to 'ask nicely' that they move on? As for the trucks, have they anywhere else to park? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 Yes, Both are council car parks, the Truckers can park within the dock area IF they are travelling WITH their Trailer, but these guys are Transshipping (leaving their trailers or Cabs) their company is too tight fisted to Rent Land or a yard,so, they use the carpark. (they can't do it on the Irish Side,I know I tried to park overnight in Rosslare.....Height Barriers everywhere.) their are plenty of Yards or land in the vicinity, but Hey the carpark is Free. As for the M/Homes, you are right, but the local council don't employ car park wardens... the car parks are free. probably not for much longer. Any other suggestions ? :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 The ability of the council to act depends on the orders which govern use of the car parks. If there is nothing to say that people cannot park for free for as long as they like then the council can not take action against them. Having said that, the council is well within its rights to make orders which will solve the problems caused by both motorhome owners and the truck company - and that need not involve the use of height barriers at all. Perhaps local residents can approach the council to ask that an order permitting a stay of no more than one night in every seven (or appropriate alternative) be made and that there be a substantial fine for breaching the order with wardens enforcing it. That would enable motorhome owners to use the facilities during the day and for the odd night and would hopefully prevent abuse. Council members and officers might like to talk to their opposite numbers in Powys who have been running such schemes successfully for some years. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Hi Rayisi I'm with you on this - such selfish motorhomers are the worst enemy of all motorhomers. As Graham says the local authority have the means at their disposal to institute measures that can solve the problem without resorting to penalising all motorhome users BUT they are unlikely to consider these without being pointed in the right direction. Although Graham says that local residents could ask the local authority to take such action it is also unlikely that any such residents will do so as they now perceive the problem to be 'motorhomes' rather 'irresponsible motorhome users'. My advice would be to make the approach yourself on behalf of all other motorhome users in the country and try to get the local authority to take a measured approach that overcomes the problem but retains the facility for the many motorhome users that would like to visit what is a lovely part of the country - after all, they rely heavily on tourism. It is a path I have trodden in my own home town and we are on the brink of instituting a facility akin to a motorhome aire type parking. Whilst I found our present authority elected officials to be both approachable and amenable to genuine suggestions to meet both objectives it does take patience and an ability to communicate the up sides of motorhoming to people who may have absolutely no understanding of the lifestyle and, worse, harbour dark thoughts of 'itinerants' camping on local authority land. I can only say that, if successful, it is very satisfying to know that you have contributed to maintaining the freedom for all motorhomers whilst protecting your own home from the (small) selfish band. If this does convince you to give it a try then PM me and I will happily go through some of the main points with you. Graham (GJH) is also a font of knowledge when it comes to motorhome parking issues. Best regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 The same problems with lorries in general, and Nolan's in particular, exists in Pembroke Dock close to the ferry terminal and it seems to me that Pembrokeshire CC needs to talk with the Port Authorities, Irish Ferries, P&O Stenna and Nolans Transport with a view to providing parking and facilities for the drivers whilst they wait for the ferries. In truth this should have been done years ago. Pembrokeshire and all the companies involved want and need the trade and jobs and it surely should not be beyond the wit of the Local Authority to bring all sides together to resolve the issues? Trade between Ireland and Europe continues to expand and the problem if not addressed will only get worse and part of the problem could be the many Eastern European drivers who do not speak English and whose lifestyle and habits may well differ from those of the Irish and British drivers. It was the dirty and inconsiderate so called 'travellers' that got motor caravanners a blanket bad name in the first place and people staying for long periods in any one spot do need to be discouraged as it tends to result in everyone else being penalised. We too are not keen on going back to Ireland due to the number of height restrictions everywhere. Shame because it is a lovely country - if a trifle wet and windy at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 I sent off an e-mail to Geoff Sutton, the Parking Manager, along the lines of my earlier post, this morning (he is given as contact on the council web site). He has been very helpful when I've sought information for the web site so is definitely amenable to positive approaches. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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