markov Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 We've recently hired a Motorhome for a few days as our first toe-dipping exercise prior to diving in for a purchase, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! One thing that we did find out was the massive variation in available ( or otherwise!) motorhome-parking facilities on our mini-tour around Suffolk. We found a terrific car park in Bury St.Edmonds with parking slots marked 'Motorhomes Only', whereas at other places we made phone calls to Car Parking departments of local councils and were passed-on to three other phone extensions only to be told that we were 'probably' allowed to park there...! It seemed a confusing point whether we were a 'caravan' or not, and whether 'no overnight camping' meant 'no campers with the facilities to allow overnight parking, even if they only wanted to stay two hours in the middle of the day'... Some car parks were clear that they accepted 'small motor-caravans' and even had height & length limits shown,that our 6m long motorhome fell outside, but at least we knew without the dreaded phone calling! This all leads us to ask if anyone knows of an Internet site, or written material, that offers information on parking facilities in the UK? We can find several sources for campsites, but not for 'Day-Parking'. We appreciate the info would change on a regular basis as councils changed their policies... Thanks a lot! Mark & Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hi both.. I doubt very much that you'll find anything truly comprehensive ..there's this, although I've no ide how accurate or up to date it is.. http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/ I think it's probably best to use a combination of resources(websites, MH forums, researching the areas you'll be visiting etc). ..it sounds like you at least you did the sensible thing by trying to check first(even if you didn't always get the answer you were hoping for). I think the unavoidable fact is that MHing is still quite a "niche", leisure pastime and as such, for some councils, (and maybe local residents etc),"making room" for them(us) is not a high priority... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 The unavoidable fact is the UK is very M/home unfriendly, unless you limit yourselves to camp sites, or tow a car around, you'll find difficulty just about everywhere in parking, one of the reasons many do not tour the UK at all. So yes you'll need to plan, and be prepared to be frustrated in your efforts to find a parking place, that sadly is a fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muswell Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Please can we avoid this thread slipping into a slanging match :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Joe90 - 2014-10-09 9:38 AM The unavoidable fact is the UK is very M/home unfriendly, unless you limit yourselves to camp sites, or tow a car around, you'll find difficulty just about everywhere in parking, one of the reasons many do not tour the UK at all. So yes you'll need to plan, and be prepared to be frustrated in your efforts to find a parking place, that sadly is a fact. This may help the OP, and also highlights the problems you'll encounter. http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 That's the same link that I had already posted "joe"... ;-) Markov...again, no idea how useful this is(as it's dated 2013). http://www.browseandread.co.uk/mmm-parking-garage-guide-2013/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markov Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 Thanks Pepe & Joe - much appreciated advice! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Welcome to the forum markov. Unless you are going to stick to campsites (in which case you would be better off with a car and caravan) I'm afraid its a case of where you can get away with parking, rather than where the council tell you you can park. Otherwise most of Britain will be inaccessible to you, and the remainder will still be expensive and awkward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Markov Not strictly "parking" admittedly but these may be worth having under your belt... http://www.britstops.com/ http://www.ukpubstopovers.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 But do also remember if you've taken advantage of the hostelry and had a couple, then you could fall foul of a grey area, you could be "over the limit" and in charge of a motor vehicle, even if your not going anywhere.There is no need for the prosecution to prove that a person was likely to drive whilst unfit or over the limit. It is for the Defendant to prove that there is no prospect of using the vehicle, and hard to see how you could prove that on a pub car park, you drove there in the first place ! ! The expectation of course is you'll use the pub, that's why these places signed up to the scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Bear in mind a pub car park is likely to be noisy, and motorhome walls have very little weight and therefore very little sound insulation. More importantly its the sort of rowdy noise that can go indefinitely, unlike on the street where the noise only lasts as long as it takes revellers to stagger past. So I find it better on the street, but then I have an ordinary looking plain white van from the outside, so I go anywhere I like and parking is seldom a problem. Never tried it with a motorhome though. People don't complain about us sleeping in the van, but thats perhaps because they never know. Unless they try the door handle which sets the alarm off ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford60 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hi all, Leave ignition key with landlord if you are worried about pedantic plods. If they wanted to, they could raid any campsite in the middle of the night and find plenty of p****d motorhomers in charge of their vehicles. If i remember correctly, 40 years ago, when i was in the force, the law relating to alcohol and driving was that to be convicted of drink driving you had to be driving or attempting to drive. To be drunk in charge, you had to be intending to drive. That is why they don't raid campsites as the campers have no intention to drive. Remember you are still innocent until proven guilty in this country (for the time being anyway) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mardee Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Hawick in the Scottish Borders has a huge carpark (Common Haugh) which welcomes Motorhomes to stay overnight any night but Friday (Saturday market) www.hawickwelcome.org.uk There are toilets in the carpark and a freshwater tap at wall near the river. Close to town and a very nice public park. Just wish more towns were like that Margaret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I have never had a problem parking my motorhome anywhere,8 mtrs,car parks without height barriers are OK but you must pay for two bays if you use two bays,reasonable In my view,generaly if you drive around you can find parking in side streets for an hour or two,supermarkets are not a problem either,if you are looking for overnight parking that of course is another matter,if you are I suggest you join www.wildcampingformotorhomes.com they have Poi s for overnighting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 markov - 2014-10-09 8:47 AM We've recently hired a Motorhome for a few days as our first toe-dipping exercise prior to diving in for a purchase, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! One thing that we did find out was the massive variation in available ( or otherwise!) motorhome-parking facilities on our mini-tour around Suffolk. We found a terrific car park in Bury St.Edmonds with parking slots marked 'Motorhomes Only', whereas at other places we made phone calls to Car Parking departments of local councils and were passed-on to three other phone extensions only to be told that we were 'probably' allowed to park there...! It seemed a confusing point whether we were a 'caravan' or not, and whether 'no overnight camping' meant 'no campers with the facilities to allow overnight parking, even if they only wanted to stay two hours in the middle of the day'... Some car parks were clear that they accepted 'small motor-caravans' and even had height & length limits shown,that our 6m long motorhome fell outside, but at least we knew without the dreaded phone calling! This all leads us to ask if anyone knows of an Internet site, or written material, that offers information on parking facilities in the UK? We can find several sources for campsites, but not for 'Day-Parking'. We appreciate the info would change on a regular basis as councils changed their policies... Thanks a lot! Mark & Elaine Hello Mark & Elaine, We have been motorhoming for about 9 years now, prior to that we always Caravanned. The problem you describe we have noticed has been getting progressively worse over the last few years, this is DAYTIME Parking of motorhomes, nothing to do with 'Wild Camping' or overnighting, it seems more and more local councils are implementing 'Anti-Motorhoming' bylaws onto their Car Parks , for what reason ? I have no idea ? does anyone else know ? apart from persecuting the VERY tourists many of them (North Norfolk for one) purport to want to attract. We nearly Always use Caravan Club sites so have no intention of overnighting in their Car Parks. The only place we have ever 'Wild Camped' is on Mull, The Western isles, and in the far north of Scotland. We Travelled to Cornwall last year, and found the problem so bad that this year we purchased an 'A-Frame' and now tow our small every-day car (a Toyota Yaris) with us, this has been a boon, and has solved the problem. To Tow a Caravan, you need a 'Heavy' towcar, that means low MPG, and if it's your only car, high cost. We love Motorhoming we just wish local Councils wouldn't keep legislating against us. North Norfolk Council has a restriction (in tiny writing on theirs signs) that vehicles above 3500kgs (my van is 3650kgs) are not allowed !!! I wasn't ticketed, but I COULD have been. hence the car and A-Frame. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Restrictions such as height barriers and GVW limits, aren't just aimed at Mhs though are they.. ..as they affect any vehicle which falls into that criteria (people carriers with roofboxes, some 4x4, "commercial" vans etc). So it's too simplistic to just call them "Anti-motorhoming"... ...Anti-Traveller..? Anti-fly tipper?..Anti-Mildcamper?...ill thought out? Maybe.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 This Letter in This Months MMM is ACTUALLY from a subscriber, and possibly even a Motorhomer herself : 'Parking Your Motorhome in Kendal' I am an MMM subcriber and local shopper who uses the South Lakeland retail park Supermarkets for my shopping. I object most strongly to your publication (Motorhome Parking and base vehicle servicing Guide page 7) encouraging Motorhomers to park in the above Car Park whilst they visit Kendal.The car park is for shoppers to use whilst visiting Morrisons,Halfords etc., IT IS NOT FOR THE FREELOADING MOTORHOME FRATERNITY. (unquote) signed Alison Gibbs,Widermere. Well, possibly a Motorhomer herself ??? surely not. Does it not occur to her that Motorhomers ALSO shop in Morrisons,Halfords etc., ? And where did she get 'Freeloaders' from ? we pay our Road Tax and local Council Taxes...as she obviously does. Presumably she doesn't travel to other Counties ? and does'nt 'Freeload' by parking her Car in any of them.? A very selfish,bigoted lady. BUT with her type of attitude. What hope have we ? Comments : Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 It's not just the UK. I've given up trying to park in some French towns. For example, we wanted to explore Sète on the Med a couple of years ago. I've never seen so many height barriers and the only place to park was a horrible crowded aire. For my wife it was too far out to walk. In fact height barriers proliferated all along the coast. Motorhomers where clearly disliked with signs everywhere of a Motorhome with a line through it. The Ile de Re was the same. Every year we explore a bit of Britain that we don't know well and with a combination of a bit of thought, excellent public transport sometimes, and our bikes, we manage quite well. Also, I'm not sure that France has this problem http://goo.gl/TSnGil to the same extent as us. Who can blame councils after this and after the selfish ones who'll park on a promenade for days on end? We're our own worst enemy sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 HE, I'm not talking about about 'Overnighters' and neither,I don't think, was the OP. I 'm talking about ordinary daytime parking. By all means if a person stays overnight in a restricted area, wheelclamp them.(and with the travellers, I'd impound all of their vehicles,until they agreed to move.) But we ALL need somewhere to park when we are on holiday, shopping etc., Whatever our vehicle, some SENSE needs to be displayed. Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Had Enough - 2014-10-09 4:44 PM It's not just the UK. I've given up trying to park in some French towns. For example, we wanted to explore Sète on the Med a couple of years ago. I've never seen so many height barriers and the only place to park was a horrible crowded aire. For my wife it was too far out to walk. In fact height barriers proliferated all along the coast. Motorhomers where clearly disliked with signs everywhere of a Motorhome with a line through it. The Ile de Re was the same. Every year we explore a bit of Britain that we don't know well and with a combination of a bit of thought, excellent public transport sometimes, and our bikes, we manage quite well. Also, I'm not sure that France has this problem http://goo.gl/TSnGil to the same extent as us. Who can blame councils after this and after the selfish ones who'll park on a promenade for days on end? We're our own worst enemy sometimes. Yes you are right to a degree Frank, but what in most cases makes the situation so much better here in France is that most towns we want to visit have an aire close by we can use as a base to visit from. For example just spent last 5 days on aire at Palvas les Flots which is not only very pleasant but easy walk into town and with excellent public transport into Montpellier, the latter for 5€ return including tram in the city. Agree aire at Sète is a dump but Sète easy to visit by train from Montpellier as we have done in past. Weather down here still hot and sunny, despite overnight storms. Now on way to wine festival at Banylus sur Mere where will stay on the municipal campsite!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Rayjsj - 2014-10-09 4:51 PM HE, I'm not talking about about 'Overnighters' and neither,I don't think, was the OP. I 'm talking about ordinary daytime parking. By all means if a person stays overnight in a restricted area, wheelclamp them.(and with the travellers, I'd impound all of their vehicles,until they agreed to move.) But we ALL need somewhere to park when we are on holiday, shopping etc., Whatever our vehicle, some SENSE needs to be displayed. Ray. I wasn't talking about overnighters and was referring to daytime parking. I mentioned the gypsy problem and the problem of the minority who take the mickey to try to explain why some councils erect height barriers and become anti-motorhome, even in many places in France. The sensible ones, of which I'm sure you number, end up paying the price for the sins of travellers and motorhomers who think that, because they pay road tax, they should be allowed to park anywhere, regardless of residents and other motorists. It's not perfect I know, either here or in many parts of Europe as well, but with a bit of thought we've generally managed and have had as many frustrating experiences over the Channel as we've had here. To read some posts you'd think that motorhomers can park anywhere they like in France and the grateful locals will rush out and give us a glass of wine and a freshly-baked croissant. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I dare that when they're viewing the big picture, "councils" will see barriers etc as a cheaper and a far less risky option, than having to deal with getting rid/prosecuting/tidying up after Travellers, tidying up after fly-tippers ..and, dare I say it, shifting some MHers who overstay their welcome by turning "parking" into "overnighting"... :-S So maybe it's the likes of these people that we should also be "blaming"? http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/campervans-motorhomes-face-tighter-parking-7034514 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-27128430 Sorry, crossed posts HE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Perhaps if travellers didn't have "human rights" to fall back on the need for height barriers would vanish overnight, but then they'd find another excuse. The other point that astonishes me, is the UK is quite literally drowning in rubbish, and yet no one seems to comment about it, no doubt that's down to motorhome users as well. If anyone can tell me EXACTLY why someone can stop somewhere quite legitimately during the day without causing ANY issue, why with dusk arriving does it become suddenly become a hanging offence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Rayjsj - 2014-10-09 4:51 PM (and with the travellers, I'd impound all of their vehicles,until they agreed to move.) . Ray. Have you really thought that one through *-) How do you decide who is a 'traveller' for a start ? Then how can you discriminate against this one race of people without offending every civilised nation in the world? Then whats the point of 'impound' their vehicles for as long as they want to stay? .... unless you are suggesting evicting them from their vehicles? in which case since they have women and children the council will be obliged to re house them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 There was a good clue that the very nice folk who descended on our local car park were travellers, the absence of any number plates on all their caravans for a start, plus they knew a few things I didn't know, such as it is perfectly Ok to take a dump wherever you fancy, and you can spread out all your crap over numerous parking bays without paying for any of them. Leave an absolutely disgusting mess everywhere, complete with a half dismantled car and smashed glass And the very best of all, stay for weeks on end completely for free at a premier coastal resort comfortable in the knowledge that it's going to take the authorities quite a while to shift you, laugh at the idea of fixed penalty notices ( of course our local plod did not bother knowing it was a complete waste of time ) then only move 8 miles and start all over again. I love your use of the word "civilised" by the way, so that's how they behave eh Yes............don't think it was a CC temporary site meet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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