Guest pelmetman Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Looks promising B-)........ 27th September 2013 WEYMOUTH: Park and camp? By Harry Walton. Council consider alternative use for park and ride site. WEYMOUTH and Portland could soon become a mecca for campervans and motor homes if plans to make better use of council car parks are carried through. Borough councillors have already backed the idea of offering parking spaces specifically dedicated to motorhomes at Lodmoor and other car parks. Now Dorset County Council has revealed that welcoming motorhomes is one of the ideas it is considering to boost use at its Mount Pleasant park and ride site. County traffic manager Matthew Piles said: “We are looking at a number of ways to make the Park and Ride site more viable and will be considering overnight parking as an option.” The motorhome idea already meets with one resident’s approval because Brian Mills of Cassiobury Road has just written to the council suggesting such an approach to make fuller use of Mount Pleasant by encouraging campervans to park in designated areas and stay overnight. Such use could be limited to five vans at any one time, he said, and further limited to two or three nights. He added: “At present this facility is underused so there is the opportunity to develop a limited scheme of an “aire” or “stallinplatz” as is so widely available on the continent in many towns. “In terms of security the park and ride can be locked each evening and opened in the morning so campervans could not enter or leave during the time it is not open. When the site is locked in the evening it would be a quick and easy job to check that all the vans in the designated area had paid their fee and not overstayed their time. Travellers-gypsies are not a problem in similar installations on the continent. “This should be seen as a facility and not a money-making exercise, so costs could be kept to a minimum, say £5 per night. This could be paid by meter, with each campervan showing a ticket in their windscreen. On the continent these ‘aires’ are well used and bring tourists and money into the area. “In terms of facilities, there are already toilets at the park and ride, so the only additional facilities would be a chemical toilet disposal and a water tap. “This is the sort of facility which once shown to work would be adopted by many other councils as a simple means of using underused park and ride centres and also attracting yet another group of tourists to their area.” Weymouth and Portland transport spokesman Councillor Christine James said she and parking and transport head Chris Graves were both keen to see motor homes and campervans encouraged to stay in car parks overnight and so spend more money. The council’s management committee has already backed “flexible use of parking stock” to find other revenue streams to counter underuse including “motorhome dedicated parking spaces”. A wide range of other measures is also being considered from drive-in-movies to Shakespeare in the Car Park at sites such as the Swannery, Lodmoor or the Nothe. Councillor James said she had talked to Mr Mills and thanked him for his idea, an approach she said management committee had already discussed. She added: “I have talked with Chris Graves and we both agree that motor homes and campervans parking up in a car park overnight is a popular feature on the continent. “If DCC is now considering such an idea for Mount Pleasant then we will have no hesitation in working with them on this. “For us the situation is very simple. Weymouth has to evolve. It is all about price, place and product. What we want to do is use car parks as more than just a piece of tarmac we put vehicles on. We want to improve what we offer and attract more visitors in. “Historically our car parks are quiet after 6pm, so if other uses can be found to attract people during quiet periods they have to be embraced. “Motor home and campervan users are a new group we could attract to Weymouth if we make it enticing enough for them. The local economy does not grow unless we improve the product, evolve and keep on evolving.” Wyke Regis county and borough councillor Kate Wheller thanked Mr Mills for his idea and said: “During discussions with a number of campervan owners earlier in the year I was told about this facility in many European countries which provides a link up with electricity etc. Owners told me that they would gladly pay for the convenience.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 pelmetman - 2013-09-30 6:33 PM “stallinplatz” Freudian slip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Tracker - 2013-09-30 6:54 PM pelmetman - 2013-09-30 6:33 PM “stallinplatz” Freudian slip? I think the author was getting the aires network confused with CC sites :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Yes.I think Canterbury have it right with their park & ride/motorhome aire system, even have a good pub just outside the parking area,I am surprised that other councils have not adopted a similar system. Must bring more trade into the town . Brian B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granddad Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 well if you look at 2 days dorset echo you might change your mine just like the council right hand left dont know what its doing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 This is from the Dorset echo full report here http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10709321.UPDATE__Weymouth_park_and_ride_put_forward_as_possible_temporary_traveller_site/ A SITE at the entrance to Weymouth has been put forward as one of two possible locations for a temporary transit facility for travellers. A committee of councillors have supported a recommendation to look at bringing forward a temporary transit site at either the overspill car park at the Weymouth park and ride facility at Mount Pleasant or a site used during the Olympics last summer in Piddlehinton. Dorset County Council's environment overview committee was warned by local members that any proposals concerning the Weymouth site could spark widespread opposition from residents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Amazing!.....Lets here it again for the UK! :D At this rate we will catch up with the rest of europe by approx the year 3000? BUT! i wouldent count on it due the incredible number of NIMBY's who infest the UK saying no to everything :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Well if they let travelers on..........that'll keep the motorhomers away *-) It'll also kill of the park and ride.............as who would want to leave their motor next to a bunch of travellers 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 WHO ? is right, is it to be an 'Aires de service' or a 'Travellers site ? there IS a differance. we, after all, are 'Travellers' ?? Just make it Motorhomes ONLY no caravans, and move on ANYone who so much as winds out an awning. It could work (couldn't it ?). But NOT if the local population cannot tell the differance between a bunch of Gypsies and Holidaymakers in Motorhomes.(who are looking to spend money in the area, rather than 'Scam' money from the 'locals'). Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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