breakaleg Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Did anyone see Yesterdays episode? Dom and a traffic enforcement officer in Tenby visited a car park in the town where four or five motorhomes had parked overnight (despite a sign saying no overnight sleeping in Motorhomes. I don't think that most of them had anyone in them so the warden saying that they had been there overnight and occupied was at best a guess, the one in the corner was occupied and interviewed and the stuff outside the van was a giveaway and didn't show our hobby (in my opinion in a good light) But all the warden could go on about was that we were to mean to pay to use a campsite ? when one person pointed out that a car had been there all night just the same as the motorhomes so what difference did people sleeping make? the warden went on to say that if we were unchallenged we would set up tables and chairs also barbques in empty bays? and deny car owners the use of a parking space. when will these councils become enlightened, they could if they wanted to, set a maximum stay time for motorhomes, Charge a reasonable fee for stopping and make some much needed money for their empty overnight car park or are all the councilors owners of campsites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Hi, didnt see it, but the same type of rule is applied ie no overnight sleeping in the car park at ringwood. They operate a clock display system, but the rules say that if you arrive after 6pm, then you must set you arrival time as being 8am ..there is no charge therefore during the night but you must have the clock card on display.. Now the purchseof the card is obtainable at the council offices, but they are closed at night, after six. The card is supposed to be available to local residents and costs 20 pounds for I year validity. So if you arrive just in time to buy the card, and park up at 6pm. You can stay overnight till 10 am the following day, as the arrival time has to show 8 am with a validity of 2 hours. BUT YOU CANNOT SLEEP IN YOUR VAN , not allowed. There are payment meters there, where you have to buy a ticket and display it. Confusing to say the least.. tha carpark is empty overnight, so why cant you sleep in your van, even though you can park it there. Crazy rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvekay Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Can you sit in the van and read a book, or whatever takes your fancy, as long as you don't sleep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet1956 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I didn’t see the programme but I believe there is a good case for challenging local councils over their policies on sleeping overnight in motorhomes in car parks. There seems to be an obsession in the UK that there is a risk that such a facility would be abused by members of the travelling community that does not exist on the continent. I would welcome a simple maximum of a 24 hour stay with permission to sleep in any vehicle in municipal car parks throughout the UK. That would relieve the stress on people in motorhomes who just want to wander without having to pre-book every stage of their journey. “Suck it and see” would be my suggestion. If it turns out that a significant number of people who avail themselves of such a facility are inclined to abuse it to the extent that the fees they pay are not sufficient to cover the overall cost of providing it then I would accept that it cannot be provided. A more utopian ideal, and one which I accept will be met with much scepticism, is that if motorhomers and travellers who avail themselves of such a facility conform to the 24-hour rule then we might be able to meet on more friendlier terms and begin to have some mutual respect which would result in more considerate behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 This runs and runs, local councillors need to listen to the complaints of those that vote for them, a few messes left by uncaring motorhomers end up costing us all the flexibility we would hope for. http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted September 14, 2017 Author Share Posted September 14, 2017 Sometimes the presence of motorhome can act as a deterrent to fly tipping etc. We used to be able to stop overnight in looe at Norman Purne's car park by the large carpark next to the river, Norman used to offer us the chance to fill up with water, he liked having a few motorhomes on the carpark as it stopped his boat yard from being broke into, they never stole anything but had a couple of rowing boats holed also he said, people had cars stolen in Plymouth, driven to the large council car park next door raced around the car park for an hour and then set alight, this stopped when motorhomes were present as they were likely to call the police. Also at the Lytham St Anne's car par site, the lady in the sweet and ice cream kiosk said the she had stopped being broke into and the Toby carvery sales had gone up no end. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Many years ago I actually got a parking ticket for allegedly sleeping whilst parked on a car park in Newquay. There was no offence code printed on the ticket so the warden had written it in himself (lol) I was looking forward to seeing how they were going to prove I was asleep (lol) but all a got was a couple of threatening letters (ignored) and heard nothing further :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 breakaleg - 2017-09-13 11:24 AM Did anyone see Yesterdays episode? Dom and a traffic enforcement officer in Tenby visited a car park in the town where four or five motorhomes had parked overnight (despite a sign saying no overnight sleeping in Motorhomes. I don't think that most of them had anyone in them so the warden saying that they had been there overnight and occupied was at best a guess, the one in the corner was occupied and interviewed and the stuff outside the van was a giveaway and didn't show our hobby (in my opinion in a good light) But all the warden could go on about was that we were to mean to pay to use a campsite ? when one person pointed out that a car had been there all night just the same as the motorhomes so what difference did people sleeping make? the warden went on to say that if we were unchallenged we would set up tables and chairs also barbques in empty bays? and deny car owners the use of a parking space. when will these councils become enlightened, they could if they wanted to, set a maximum stay time for motorhomes, Charge a reasonable fee for stopping and make some much needed money for their empty overnight car park or are all the councilors owners of campsites. Just watched it on iPlayer. As you say it confirms what we suspected - traffic warden says they should pay to use a campsite. Its all about money because they treat parking as a cashcow - instead of a public service like they do across the channel. When it was pointed out they had already paid tax to park on the road the best excuse she could come up was they might set out tables and chairs taking up parking spaces. I would have asked why not take action if and when they do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keninpalamos Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 As sleeping in a vehicle, any vehicle is not a traffic offence or a parking offence in this country ( it is merely considered by some to be a social problem. Change the word "vehicle" to "yacht" or "boat" & it isn't ) you can not be issued with a PCN ( Penalty Charge Notice) for doing so and of course the traffic warden, car park chappie knows this. He also knows or he should do, that he is acting outside his jurisdiction or/& remit to even challenge the practice and is probably braking the law himself by doing so. All PCN notices carry a number which relates and describes the alleged offence committed. The 2 most common numbers as far as parking offences for campervans and motorhomes are numbers 23 & 91. 23 is issued for parking on the road ( highway) in an area not designated for that class of vehicle. I.e. There should be a visible sign telling you what class of vehicle may or may not park 91 is exactly the same but tends to be used for off road parking i.e. Car parks etc. The key word in the discription of the offence is "class" so study your vehicle reg document before you park. This subject has been discussed many times on this and other forums, blogs etc. But please remember for the sake of us all, you are only allowed to park, not camp. The difference is obvious to most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 A PCN-code listing is here: http://www.britishparking.co.uk/write/Documents/Contravention_code_list_v6_7.pdf Motorhome parking in the UK is well summarised here: http://www.gjh.me.uk/parking.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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