Huttoft Car Park, Lincs (overlooking the sea)

[Steve928]

pepe63 - 2013-09-23 4:53 PM

But what is really so difficult, that folk can't take THEIR rubbish with them?..presumably they had the room in the vehicle to cart their KFC/MacDonalds/disposable BBQs etc to the picnic/beauty spot in the first place?.

So why can't they take the remnants back with them?

 

...and should it really be up to "the council" to be providing recycling bins at each and every location, that someone may or may not, choose to dump their rubbish?

 

The days of, "never mind,out of sight out of mind", SHOULD be behind us by now...

 

..and these are supposedly grown ups, who SHOULD be able to tidy up after themselves... :-S

 

Sadly it seems to be becoming the norm to hoof your rubbish out of the car window these days and I don't think that any amount of bin provision and emptying will stop it - it's a deeper problem within society concerning peoples' responsibility for their own actions.

 

Was parked up in one of the 4 motorhome/caravan bays in Pitlochry the other day. These bays are at the top of the small car park and right next to the bottle banks, recycling bins and waste bins. Plus there are waste bins all around the car park.

A young couple drove in, parked up and eat their lunch in their car. When they drove away they had chucked all the rubbish out of the passenger window: Coke bottles, bottle tops, sandwich boxes, half eaten stuff etc.. They were 10 meters from a pristine, empty waste bin and couldn't be ar$ed to get out of their cocoon.

 

I mean, what can you do? (except clear up after them of course as I did).

[pepe63xnotuse]

Never mind the badger cull...what need is a litter lout cull! >:-)

 

Operated on a "sliding scale" of cause...

 

Say, maybe just wing them for something like a small sweet wrapper.....all the way through to a head-shot for dumping the contents of their chemical loo!.... ;-)

 

Firm but fair....

[Dr Dave]

As regards overnight parking in these car parks i have no inclination to do this however i do like to take the van during the day and enjoy the view. Motorhomes and their owners generally will not leave rubbish or empty their toilet in unsuitable places so without evidence of such behavior his cannot be an issue. However the fact that i have a legal vehicle and cannot use car parks takes the biscuit, everywhere you go there are height barriers and restrictions so now we don't go to towns on the coast anymore, i realise that my few quid spent in the local shop wont jump start the ecomomy but the fact that i am discriminated against because my vehicle is over 2mtrs high does not sit well with me. Responsible motorhomers parked overnight are free night watch men who will no doubt deter vandals , drug addicts and the like, banning motorhomes from these spots leaves these car parks vulnerable at night probably leading to the car park being closed altogether.

[sambukashot]

Polly, one of our members at the TMCTO has wrote a very good blog about parking, you can read it here: http://www.tmcto.org/index.php/blogs/item/wilding

[Rowan Lee]

We are relatively local to Huttoft and often spend a day there in our van. I cannot explain how sad I am to read that we can no longer do this. Last summer, when my Mum was dying from cancer, we would go there for the day as she loved it there. Mum, my sister and I had several happy days there towards the end when Mum could be comfortable in the van, look at the view and have her own private loo. I could weep that we can no longer visit this lovely place and it is denied to others who may be in a similar situation. To my knowledge, there is no other place quite like it, most of the car parks along the Lincolnshire coast are behind the sea defences and have no view.

 

I can remember one occasion (when Mum was still with us) when a coach turned up, full of elderly and disabled folk. The bus driver unloaded all their chairs from under the bus, and they all lined up along the wall. Shortly after, another vehicle arrived with packets of fish and chips for them all, then they had a bit of a sing song and piled back into the coach. Well, they won't be going again!

 

 

[Rowan Lee]

Just been an item on the local news about this. Showed a group of motorhomers who are protesting about this and then a County Councillor saying it was because "people were living there". Why penalise the rest of us? Motorhomer was Paul Marriott, Councillor Stephen Palmer. Let's all write to Councillor Palmer.

[longbarn]

Hi Rowan Lee,

 

Know just how you feel.We've told the girls we wanted our ashes scattered at Huttoft, we love it so much.

 

We've even seen a funeral party there, when the hearse came with the coffin, paid its respect and later they returned and had a bit of a get together.

 

It's so sad, that a few who are not M/Hers can make it so bad for others.

 

[crinklystarfish]

sambukashot - 2013-09-24 11:57 AM

Polly, one of our members at the TMCTO has wrote a very good blog about parking, you can read it here: http://www.tmcto.org/index.php/blogs/item/wilding

What would be the TMCTO response / advice to the various interested parties be?Sad to read of the legitimate day users who are now denied access, and lamentable that the opportunity for discreet overnighting has been lost. However, it's hard to imagine the council's actions are not driven from legitimate concerns and representative of the wider community's wishes.Bears repeating that it's unproductive and naive to believe that some motorhomers aren't at least partly responsible for the council's response.It is these irresponsible motorhomers, in part at least, that have triggered the council's actions and it is they that should be the subject of wrath.

[snowie]

I've just seen to TV "feature" about 90secs? Look North, not at all informative or helpful.

 

I'm really sorry to hear "Rowan Lee's" posting; and can't think that the County Council will be very pleased to have had that effect.

 

I've also reread the original posting and "longbarn's" later posting :

 

"Yes, there are a few who obviously stay for weeks on end. That's not right, but why do they have to do it? "

 

Not withstanding the guy with one leg, living in an estate car, I'd suggest that the people staying there for weeks on end should be the ones whose behaviour we question.

 

Are they motorhomers? or is there a more accurate description?

 

Regards

alan b

 

[pepe63xnotuse]

snowie - 2013-09-24 9:11 PM

 

...Not withstanding the guy with one leg, living in an estate car, I'd suggest that the people staying there for weeks on end should be the ones whose behaviour we question.

 

Are they motorhomers? or is there a more accurate description?

 

Regards

alan b

 

But I suppose as far as the local residents are concerned, "..if it looks like a duck..quacks like a duck..Then it's a duck.." ;-)

 

..and, obvious disruptive "Traveller" groups aside, Joe Public aren't really going to differentiate between one MH and another....and in reality, why should we expect them to?..We humans don't tend to function like that, we "generalize" all of the time(..we shouldn't..but we do.. ;-) )

 

 

[Muswell]

longbarn - 2013-09-21 6:55 PM

 

Yes, there are a few who obviously stay for weeks on end. That's not right, but why do they have to do it?

 

Why not put a charge for a 24 hour parking with a max stay of 48 hours. Make money that way and everybody happy.!

 

I guess that the council would rather avoid the expense of collecting the charges and then court orders and bailiffs to evict those who have taken up residence. This spring we saw that an Aire next to the lake near Troyes had been closed and had height barriers, so I suspect that all is not perfect in France either.

 

If this were a French forum you would probably find OT threads complaining about the bureaucracy and saying things like " it's much simpler in the UK so why not here?"

[crinklystarfish]

snowie - 2013-09-24 9:11 PM

 

...I've also reread the original posting and "longbarn's" later posting :

 

"Yes, there are a few who obviously stay for weeks on end. That's not right, but why do they have to do it? "

 

...Are they motorhomers? or is there a more accurate description?

 

Regards

alan b

.

 

The simple truth is that yes they are motorhomers. Users don't fall into discreet groups but instead it's more akin to a continuum from day visitors to full time vehicle occupants who prefer, or need, to sleep in places that incur no parking charges. We all fall somewhere on or between those points.

 

Until motorhomers across the continuum get their house in order and stop bespoiling areas we can expect no sympathy from local authorities.

 

The sad reality is that those who are irresponsible and do bespoil areas will shrug their shoulders and simply go and do the same somewhere else.

[Muswell]

I think it is a bit generous to say that some people are irresponsible and bespoil areas. Some people are anti-social, full stop They drop litter, not because there is no bin nearby, but because it causes offence. Same as people who smash bus shelters, scratch cars, play very loud music, park where they want etc. There was a very nice little park in Camden Town, 3 miles from the centre of London, which was taken over a few years back by various traveller type vehicles, no doubt attracted by the alternative (highly commercialised! ) lifestyle of Camden Market. When they were finally evicted the ground looked like a WW1 battlefield. The park is now surrounded by a really heavy duty but quite elegant fence which must have cost a lot of council tax money.

[longbarn]

No, Crinkleystarfish,

 

They are not M/Hers. They are converted Horseboxes, Panel Van, a Refrigerated vehicle and another vehicles. All had an accumulation of junk around them. All manufactured M/H had only 4 wheels parked on the ground, with maybe the exception of a step stool.

 

I can understand the local site owners being annoyed if their visitors came back to say they couldn't get in. Most M/H are not a lot wider than a 4X4. Its FREE so everyone is going to make a beeline to it.

 

Why is it Free, why not a charge like Skegness.

 

May I suggest that, like a dog ban in other areas, the council puts a ban from May 1st until Sept 30th, on M/H PARKING and lifts the barrier at other times.

 

 

 

 

[sambukashot]

We have been running this story on www.tmcto.org since July, we have also had emails from protestors who refused to move when the height barriers were been installed but non of my emails to them were ever returned and I tried 4 times to speak with these people on this situation with no luck :(

We welcome all comments and your opinions on this story "and others" on our website as it is impossible to comment on all motorhome community forums that are available.

Here is the link to the Lincoln story: http://www.tmcto.org/index.php/motorhome-news/item/48-height-barrier-closed-to-deter-overnight-camping-on-east-coast-of-Lincolnshire

Please have your say and leave your comments on our website.

Thank you

Keith

[pepe63xnotuse]

longbarn - 2013-09-25 11:23 AM

 

No, Crinkleystarfish,

 

They are not M/Hers. They are converted Horseboxes, Panel Van, a Refrigerated vehicle and another vehicles. All had an accumulation of junk around them. All manufactured M/H had only 4 wheels parked on the ground, with maybe the exception of a step stool.

.

 

Oooh!...so only "manufactured" gin palaces count as motorhomes then!? 8-)

 

Not condoning littering etc(..as should be clear from my previous posts) but it sounds as though, what you're really saying, is that they just weren't "your type" of "M/Her" ... :-S

 

 

 

 

[sambukashot]

Here is an update to this story: http://www.tmcto.org/index.php/motorhome-news/item/49-motorhome-owners-discriminated-against-by-introduction-of-carpark-height-barriers-in-lincolnshire

[747]

I had a couple of nights at 6 Marshes on the way South and a couple more at Huttoft on the way home 2 years ago. I got to know some of the regulars and they were not a bad crowd at all. Some of them did stay at Huttoft and the other local spots a lot but they are NOT responsible for the mess and the horror stories that people with no direct knowledge have put on public forums.

 

The biggest cause of mess is the day trippers. Next time you see a car park with a height barrier, take notice of the amount of rubbish. There will have been the odd motorhomer who dumped his cassette nearby. There are around 250,000 British vehicles registered as Motorhomes and there are bound to be a few rotten apples. Many of the regulars own houses in the area and rent them out. They prefer to live in their vans and the rental income helps pay for it. To them, it is a lifestyle choice and they have access to fresh water and dump points.

 

Negative comments from crinkly does not help, it just muddies the water. He has no direct knowledge of the Huttoft area and should keep his speculation to himself. The situation has been brought to a head and it is a victory for a handful of locals who have mounted a long campaign to get height barriers. The worst offender is an eccentric old lady. She will have lots more space for her pack of dogs to crap everywhere. I might mount a campaign to get the Council to prosecute dog owners who do not pick up after them. They give the rest of us a bad name.

 

Just to add, at other local spots, the toilet facilities have been wrecked by youths who congregated overnight. The presence of motorhomes stopped this. Huttoft Car Terrace will now suffer the same fate.

[kelly58]

There was an article last night on BBC1 Look North and a council member stated that the reason for the height barrier was because they have had people parked up there for long periods which makes it unfair to day trippers not having enough space to park their cars .

[pepe63xnotuse]

747 - 2013-09-25 1:36 PM

 

...The worst offender is an eccentric old lady. She will have lots more space for her pack of dogs to crap everywhere. I might mount a campaign to get the Council to prosecute dog owners who do not pick up after them. They give the rest of us a bad name.

 

 

That's the beauty of my "Litter Lout Cull" idea...it could be as versatile as the needs dictated... (lol)

 

;-)

[747]

I have just sent an email to Councillor Davie, who has responsibility for Economic Development, Environment, Planning and Tourism. He appears to have failed badly on 3 of his 4 areas of responsibility. :D

 

I have also forecast the future of Huttoft ie, increased vandalism and litter. If you don't know the area, it is quite isolated and the presence of motorhomes put a dampener on the antics of young locals. The toilets at Moggs Eye were vandalised some years ago and never repaired, Huttoft will go the same way .... very shortly. *-)

[sambukashot]

Well done 747 :)

[Petra]

When this first came up in the local newspaper my husband wrote to the paper twice and responded to complaints from the local residents, I wrote to the local council (who totally ignored me) and also to Lincoln County Council who eventually wrote back and said that the idea of an aire was a good suggestion but stated that they did not want to upset the campsite owners and that they had no funding to install a pay machine.

 

They also admitted that the problems in the area were not caused by modern motorhomes but by people staying in dilapidated caravans and converted vehicles. However we know that most of the problems are caused by car owners, doggers and drug addicts.

 

It was on Look North last night when they interviewed motorhomers and it will be interesting to see if they had any comments after the broadcast. It seems there is nothing that anyone can do as Lincolnshire County Council have made their mind up that they don't want motorhomes cluttering up their car parks and so the only thing you can do is stay away.

 

[747]

I have taken the liberty of copying a post made on another forum which conveys the reality of Lincolnshire CC actions.

 

 

Hi all

Please except my apologies if this is to long or have let off steam in the wrong place.

I generally don't broadcast my disability but Lincolnshire has now stopped me enjoying my freedom. How well let me explain and l will try not to be to graphical. Appart from being in a wheelchair l have what can nicely discribed as personal, so l need my motorhome nearby because of this. I have used campsites but the facilities for me are not good and as my motorhome is adapted for me to use. Now ok so l wish to spend some time on the east coast and sit and watch the waves so according to this council l can use a campsite but how do l then access the the beach area. Now have the council taken away my human rights or are discriminating against me and my disability.

I don't use a tintent because of hitching up and all that and anyway at £20 a night plus to park up and use no facilities is ridiculous. I do use pub stops and the like, l could go on about other councils and their ways of stopping motorhomes but to be honest 3 hours with a blue badge and double yellows is usually enough anyway. And 2 fingers who tried to make me move on in weston s mare saying l was toooo large and issued me a ticket that the council had to sqash.

Sorry again guys

 

 

 

[longbarn]

Oooh!...so only "manufactured" gin palaces count as motorhomes then!?

 

No, the point I was trying to make was that the others mentioned were at Huttoft and their excess exterior equipment was enough to tell all that they were living there.(Camping not Parking) We knew it would only take time for the barrier to happen.