Caravan parking in Motorway Service Areas

[mealsonwheels]

If Practical Caravan ever write an article on Motorway Service Areas suitable for caravanners, it might be an idea to suggest to the people that run these areas, that dedicated parking slots for caravans have C A R A V A N clearly painted on the ground in large white letters in each slot.

The number of cars that pull in and park in caravan slots, when there are plenty of car parking spaces available is amazing.

Tebay was utter chaos with cars turning in and parking straight in the caravan slots when car parking spaces were clearly visible. Staff in the car park were oblivious to the predicament arriving caravanners faced.

The same thing happened on the M6 Toll Services, where again there were many empty car slots, but car drivers were parking in the longer slots intended for caravans. We tried to park in a double car slot, but we overhung the space and had to drive straight out and back on the motorway again without stopping for a break. We are reluctant to stop in a lay-by beside the road. Anyone else found the same?

Pauline.

 

[mo hamilton]

folk will never get the message , on the way home from Cornwall on the M5 northbound at Cullompton services the only empty caravan slot was taken up by a POLICE CAR with crew who watched me pull in, and out, then park with the HGVs, and only then did they pull out of the slot

 

[LadyMaureen]

Mo,

I would have been tempted to go and ask the Police why they were sitting there ( very politely of course.)

Much more organistion is needed at stopping areas so that caravans can park safely.....but who do you approach to complain about it ?Have never yet found a manager....where do they hide???

 

[Robtel]

Pauline,

Your idea of painting the word caravan in large letters on parking areas would make no difference I'm afraid. We have stopped at service areas where this has been done and still found cars parked. We have also stopped , or tried to stop, at areas where large signs are displayed staing anyone other than caravan users will be fined for parking and still found cars or transit vans parked. While service area owners are to be commended for providing separate parking areas unless something is done about inappropriate parking they are wasting their time

I must confess that when confronted by this I have done nothing other than drive on complaining to whoever is in the car with me, I have never written to services manager to complain, perhaps if enough of us done this something might be done.

I have read comments in the past stating caravan owners do not contribute enough financially to service areas to warrant separate areas, that we take our own food and drink with us and never purchase anything. I find this inaccurate as I generally fill up with up fuel and frequently see other caravanners doing the same. We generally buy some cold drinks or snacks from the shops and it will not be the first time I have seen car users having a picnic with their own food in their cars so that arguement does not hold water.

We have just returned from touring France and Spain where the service areas are much more geared towards caravans.Maybe our services will pick up some tips.

Robert

 

[DavidW1]

I have solved the problem on m'way services by going to the truck park - reason being you can usually find long curbed green areas at the edges where you can stop and let the dog out without him upsettting other parkers and plenty of open space where he can "go".

It's usually a bit further to the resturant and toilets and a bit scruffier but who cares about that, the truckers don't mind and there always seems to be space somewhere even if you have to park alongside a truck.

Like you Maureen I have found van slots occupied by cars when using the car areas and the slots are sometimes so narrow when you do occupuy one that you can hardly open the door.

The carpark designers also often underestimate the room needed to turn in and out, which sometimes presents a problem with my LWB Isuzu and a 25ft van.

OK so it's probably strictly against the rules but as you say some car drivers don't exactly obey the rules and nobody is doing anything about it so we may as well join them.

 

[Ogre]

We ALWAYS use the lorry park. Far less hassle, and the truckers are in the main, a very helpful and pleasant bunch.

These ignorant people who can't read space markings are just complete retards. Plain and simple.

Of course you could always pull your caravan up and block them in!!

 

[LadyMaureen]

Keith,

I'm glad you find the lorry park OK.We were travelling back with friends who parked up next to a foreign lorry driver.He opened his door and proceeded to urinate on the tarmac to the side of them.Our friends shouted over to object,but needless to say were completely ignored.

This seems to be a regular practice in a lot of motorway parking areas,which I think is a disgrace.