First timers from Santander to Portsmouth

[moncayo movers]

Just joined and looking for some help.

First timers from Santander to Portsmouth

We will be travelling up from Southern Spain and we would like to try for the first time getting a ferry crossing from Santander to Portsmouth sometime in October not exactly sure of the date yet.

Do these ferries get booked up quick or is three or four day before ok to book?

We were thinking after travelling up from Southern Spain we will have two maybe three days rest at a campsite near Santander.

Could anyone give us some Dos and DONTs about this crossing?

Also a campsite that you could recommend in Santander?

I have noticed looking at the ferry crossings you arrive late evening in Portsmouth, after which we have approx 5 hrs drive.

Could anyone recommend a campsite or a safe stop off passed M25 going on M11 then A11?

Or a campsite just leaving Portsmouth heading towards M25 but I have to watch the emissions zones as I have an older motorhome.

[Adiebt]

We use Sunnydale Campsite near Hamble as our stop over site . 

[Kevjan]

Port Solent marine and shopping allows Motorhome parking. It’s only 2/3 miles from the port and it’s free. Leave port on m27 keep in left lane follow exit for m271 then A27 towards Fareham under motorway left at lights follow straight on into parking. Post code is PO6 4TP. Kevin

[moncayo movers]

Thank you for your replies.  

I have just booked the ferry crossing.  I have booked a cabin, would you happen to know if there is a electrical socket in the cabin that we could use.  (Brittany Ferries).

[Adiebt]

We crossed last Saturday on the Galicia in  a standard double bunk cabin and there were two English plug points and two USB 2 points , the level of modern kit depends on the age of the ship and the level of cabin you buy.

[rooster63]

The pretty, although touristy village of Santillana del a Mare is not very far from Santander and has a purpose built aire on the edge of the village. 10€ I think for the night. Also you can check in at Santander from about 9.30am and leave your MH in the secure area and explore Santander.

We crossed on Pont Aven and I think we had to use continental plugs.

[Brian Kirby]

If this is the van you are importing, have you arranged Spanish (presumably) export plates and (assuming the Spanish plates don't include short term insurance) UK insurance?

Reason for asking?

From memory, there are restrictions on UK citizens driving foreign registered vehicles on UK roads, and UK insurance companies can/will not insure foreign registered vehicles for UK use.

It used to be possible to obtain UK insurance against the vehicle's VIN, but my understanding is that this is no longer possible.

I'm claiming no expertise in this field, and I hope my memory is fooling me.  🙂  But, I would urge you to check very carefully exactly what insurances you will need, and can obtain, for both legs of your journey - i.e that in Spain, and that in UK, and also what the regulations for number plates on foreign registered vehicle now are.

Reading your "Re-registering Motorhome" post I had assumed that the importation hurdles had all been cleared, and only the actual registration was outstanding.  However, having now read this string I'm beginning to think that assumption may be wrong.

I personally imported a van from France in 2005, and in the end had to get the French dealer to drive it to the Chunnel terminal on his trade plates, as I could not get short term insurance in France, and the UK insurance on VIN only applied to the single journey from Dover to home.  A lot has changed since then, including Brexit, which I understand introduced technical complications such that at least one commercial importer (Bundesvan) gave up.

It was possible to get export plates in Germany, with limited term third party export insurance that was legal in EU states and so in UK, but it seems your van will not have been sourced in Germany, and in any case I don't know whether that kind of insurance is still available post Brexit.

You also have to get the van through Customs at Portsmouth.

The last advice I remember seeing was that professional transport from source to home (or at least from Source to exit port, and again from arrival port to home, leaving you to drive onto, and off, the ferry) might now be the only way to get the vehicle into UK.

Apologies if have the wrong end of the stick/s, (indeed I hope I have!) but it seems you may have quite a bit of checking up to undertake if you are to achieve a trouble-free import.  Others will doubtless have up to date experience that proves me wrong!  🙂 Fingers duly crossed!

Don't forget also that you will have to keep the van off road until registration is complete.

Edited September 22, 2023 by Brian Kirby

[Brian Kirby]

On re-reading the OP, I'm wondering if I've misunderstood? 

I had originally assumed that the OP was importing from Spain a van he had recently bought there to bring back to the UK and register.

What has since occurred to me is that the OP may have been living in Spain, and have bought, registered, and insured his 'van as a Spanish resident, and is now returning to UK and wants bring his van back with him. 

If that is the (perhaps somewhat obvious, as travelling to Spain to buy a van does seem a bit improbable!  🙄) case, then it is probably legal to do so on a UK driving licence, but the guidance once beyond 14 days is less than clear.

The problem is the combination of UK national with UK driving licence driving a foreign registered and insured vehicle, and the validity of the foreign insurance if the vehicle is driven by a "foreign" driver and licence holder, but is outside the jurisdiction of the insuring state.

The 14 day limit arises because a vehicle being imported to UK must be notified to HMRC within 14 days of its entry to UK.

As above, the legality is unclear, so it seems wisest to check - unless this has already been done and the question is settled.

[moncayo movers]

When I first posted I was under the impression it was going to be a relatively simple however it looks like it is probably not going to be that simple.

I purchased the motorhome in Spain many years ago, and I would loved to have brought it back. Just found out that we would need a COC, which we never ever got from the dealership.  Which now looks like is no longer trading, so do not know what to do...............

[Derek Uzzell]

Vehicle approval requirements are discussed here

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/getting-vehicle-approval

(If you did need a CoC, it's the manufacturer of your motorhome that you would need to contact not the Spanish dealership. And if your motorhome is really old, it might not have been Type Approved.)

[Brian Kirby]

What year is the van?  If Moncayo have properly maintained their records, they should be able to supply you (albeit possibly for an  admin charge) with a duplicate CoC.  You'll probably need their build number, or possibly the FIAT vin, to identify your actual van and facilitate the search.