From the MMM Team: Parking a motorhome in towns etc

[Dinkydot]

Hi all,

I'm currently looking at all the things that make motorhoming difficult today in an effort to focus the information we can offer to forum users, magazine readers and website users. 

Would much appreciate if you could spare a few moments to answer three short questions. 

If you have any other comments please reply below

Many thanks

Rachel 

Content editor

[John52]

I don't have much of a problem with parking because I have found places myself, often on street, to park.  Usually by cycling round a place to explore it first.  I have been able to overnight in city centres,  docklands etc  seeing interesting places and talking to interesting people most motorhomers miss.

Odd van parked for the odd night is no problem. But I couldn't put them in a motorhome guide because they would become overwhelmed with motorhomes - and the sort of people who set up camp for days on end.  Then the NIMBYs would be out to complain

There is already a guide on the wildcamping forum - they are well ahead of you on this because thats what they were set up for and they have been doing it for years.  But none of the places I use are on there.  I don't really want to use the places that are. They are generally dodgy looking remote laybys, or car parks I wouldn't want to use because they tend to get noisy at night - boy racers revving their engines, people sitting playing music or whatever.  Some get full of motorhomes parking for weeks on end and next thing you hear is the Nimbys/campsite owners/ hotel owners are getting it banned.

Local politics gives the Nimbys all the influence with the council, and visiting motorhomers none because they have no vote in that constituency

Nice idea though Rachel.

[malc d]

39 minutes ago, John52 said:

I don't have much of a problem with parking because I have found places myself, often on street, to park.  Usually by cycling round a place to explore it first.  I have been able to overnight in city centres,  docklands etc  seeing interesting places and talking to interesting people most motorhomers miss.

Odd van parked for the odd night is no problem. But I couldn't put them in a motorhome guide because they would become overwhelmed with motorhomes - and the sort of people who set up camp for days on end.  Then the NIMBYs would be out to complain

There is already a guide on the wildcamping forum - they are well ahead of you on this because thats what they were set up for and they have been doing it for years.  But none of the places I use are on there.  I don't really want to use the places that are. They are generally dodgy looking remote laybys, or car parks I wouldn't want to use because they tend to get noisy at night - boy racers revving their engines, people sitting playing music or whatever.  Some get full of motorhomes parking for weeks on end and next thing you hear is the Nimbys/campsite owners/ hotel owners are getting it banned.

Local politics gives the Nimbys all the influence with the council, and visiting motorhomers none because they have no vote in that constituency

Nice idea though Rachel.

Hi John

If anyone has to cycle round an area first to find a suitable parking place for a motorhome, I would suggest that they DO have a problem parking.

🙂

[John52]

29 minutes ago, malc d said:

Hi John

If anyone has to cycle round an area first to find a suitable parking place for a motorhome, I would suggest that they DO have a problem parking.

🙂

Fair comment yes

But I cycled round the area to explore it for the first time.  Not specifically to look for the best place to park.  I generally enjoyed doing it and would have done it anyway, even if I hadn't been looking for places to park.

Reading my post back I realise its very negative, and I hate to be negative about such a nice well-meaning idea.

Just to show what the problems will be.

It may be worth compiling a guide. 

But it needs to be restricted to the places that wouldn't be closed down by a large influx of motorhomes as soon as you lave listed them.

Which rules out all my favourite places I have found.

And, I suspect, leaves a very sparse guide.

Its a bit like the fishing business, where you like and respect the other fishermen, and would risk your life to save them if they were in trouble.

But you can't let them know where you found your fish.  Otherwise next time you go there will be half a dozen boats there and no fish left. 🙁

Edited October 11, 2023 by John52

[colin]

1 hour ago, John52 said:

Fair comment yes

But I cycled round the area to explore it for the first time.  Not specifically to look for the best place to park.  I generally enjoyed doing it and would have done it anyway, even if I hadn't been looking for places to park.

Reading my post back I realise its very negative, and I hate to be negative about such a nice well-meaning idea.

Just to show what the problems will be.

It may be worth compiling a guide. 

But it needs to be restricted to the places that wouldn't be closed down by a large influx of motorhomes as soon as you lave listed them.

Which rules out all my favourite places I have found.

And, I suspect, leaves a very sparse guide.

Its a bit like the fishing business, where you like and respect the other fishermen, and would risk your life to save them if they were in trouble.

But you can't let them know where you found your fish.  Otherwise next time you go there will be half a dozen boats there and no fish left. 🙁

This appears to be for car parks, and being 'motorhome friendly' doesn't always mean they would be overwhelmed. Take Ceredigion council car parks, they have a policy of banning motorhomes from most of the car parks, and charging extortionate rates for the rest, this is not obvious at first from their website, but turn up at a car park which says it takes 'cars, vans, and motorcycles', and you will find motorcaravans are banned, turn up at one that says it takes motorcaravans and you will find the minimum charge as £9. 

[John52]

1 hour ago, colin said:

This appears to be for car parks, and being 'motorhome friendly' doesn't always mean they would be overwhelmed. Take Ceredigion council car parks, they have a policy of banning motorhomes from most of the car parks, and charging extortionate rates for the rest, this is not obvious at first from their website, but turn up at a car park which says it takes 'cars, vans, and motorcycles', and you will find motorcaravans are banned, turn up at one that says it takes motorcaravans and you will find the minimum charge as £9. 

Well yes I guess you would have to restrict this guide to where motorhomes are officially allowed to park, and aren't going to be overwhelmed,.

Which, frankly, will be a sparse guide with rip-off / crap parking. 

Little more than a list of campsites and no use to me.

But if folks are desperate and don't know where else to park it would be better than nothing.  And when they get there they might look around and find somewhere better.

[John52]

Incidentally this poll hasn't accepted any of my votes

Because it won't accept my answers to questions 1 and 2 until I answer question 3 - which I cannot do.

Because having voted No to questions 1 and 2, none of the 3 options in question 3 apply

[colin]

4 hours ago, John52 said:

Well yes I guess you would have to restrict this guide to where motorhomes are officially allowed to park, and aren't going to be overwhelmed,.

Which, frankly, will be a sparse guide with rip-off / crap parking. 

Little more than a list of campsites and no use to me.

But if folks are desperate and don't know where else to park it would be better than nothing.  And when they get there they might look around and find somewhere better.

I take it as parking for days out in towns and places of interest, not overnighting which I think MMM steer clear of.

As I recall Graham set up a website for council (maybe other commercial?) parking, I think this is now 'park my motorhome'. It will take some resources to set up and stay up to date.

[John52]

10 hours ago, colin said:

I take it as parking for days out in towns and places of interest, not overnighting which I think MMM steer clear of.

As I recall Graham set up a website for council (maybe other commercial?) parking, I think this is now 'park my motorhome'. It will take some resources to set up and stay up to date.

OK. Just googled it and had a quick look

http://www.park-my-motorhome.co.uk/

I don't think we could improve on that

[John52]

Looking a bit further It sticks to official motorhome parking

eg contacted Burnley Council who said  'Burnley Borough Council is unable to provide parking for Motorhomes due to the height restrictions and design constraints currently in place on its car parks.' From the council's website.

Is it worth going to Burnley anyway you might ask

Well, yes actually it is

For instance Queen Street Mill is the last surviving 19th century steam powered weaving mill in the world and well worth a visit IMO

Unrestricted street parking outside

But you can't list it as motorhome parking

You just have to drive in and take a chance, or look on google maps first.

[John52]

I don't understand this poll

If you have voted 'No' to questions 1 and 2, how can you answer question 3?

[Les W]

I've not voted as I've never felt the need to park in a town center or indeed a place of interest (apart from a couple of garden centers).

Much prefer to find a site/aire/stopover nearby and cycle in.

[John52]

1 hour ago, Les W said:

Much prefer to find a site/aire/stopover nearby and cycle in.

Even if its raining?

For example in places like Queen Street Mill you can park right outside free, and nip out to your van during the visit whenever you like. 😀

But if you waste your time asking the Council they will tell you there is no motorhome parking in Burnley.  Presumably because they wouldn't like to offend local nimbys by suggesting their street as a free campsite 😀

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by John52

[derek500]

I use Parkopedia.com, as it specifies any height restrictions. It covers 90 countries.