Motorhomes being victimised

[sktravelling]

Yet another Council, Lancaster and Morecambe, voting to ban sleeping in motorhomes overnight - hot on the heels of Lincoln council doing similar.
Lincoln Council say you can park overnight but not sleep in the vehicle, how daft can you get?

When are we going to fight back?

Why do these councils want to bring in these rules, Scarborough recently rejected a petition from locals saying they wanted the motorhome community to carry on as it brought revenue to local businesses but the council turned it down.
No one complains about HGV's parking in a layby or car park and sleeping when they have no toilet facilities but no you can't do the same in a motorhome even though you have your own facilities.

Councils would be better providing some serviced facilities, at a sensible cost, and increase revenue for themselves. Look at the French system where motorhomes are welcomed and facilities provided, it works.
Should we contact our MP's and start a fight back against this discrimination of one particular type of transport.

 

[otherclive]

HGV drivers have restricted options on their driving hours and routes. Totally different case with motorhomes where there are numerous options for overnighting albeit you may have to pay. I for one will not be signing any petitions.

 

[RogerL]

Although a minority, it's freeloading motorhomers who brought these restrictions about - why can't they just use commercial campsites like caravanners have to - it's not a counci responsibility to provide campsites.

 

[borderbilly]

Maybe it's too stop them free loading instead of parking at a recognised site. HGV,s is a completely different kettle of fish.

 

[Mr Plodd]

As is the norm it's a few irresponsible/inconsiderate/downright uncaring few who ruin it for the majority. I am talking about those who park up, for a week or more, in the same location and treat a piece of road as "their" campsite. As an ex MH owner I disagree strongly with them doing that.
As for "sleeping" in a MH that's simply impossible to prove. "Yes my MH was parked at "X" overnight, but I was staying elsewhere"
It's up to the enforcement officer to prove you were sleeping in it, you have to do nothing! However those sorts of notices do deter the vast majority, so they work.

 

[Devonisheaven]

Although a minority, it's freeloading motorhomers who brought these restrictions about - why can't they just use commercial campsites like caravanners have to - it's not a counci responsibility to provide campsites.

Maybe it's too stop them free loading instead of parking at a recognised site. HGV,s is a completely different kettle of fish.

HGV drivers have restricted options on their driving hours and routes. Totally different case with motorhomes where there are numerous options for overnighting albeit you may have to pay. I for one will not be signing any petitions.

This. ^^^^^^^👍👍

 

[Sam Vimes]

I live in an area which gets overrun in the summer time with Motorhomes or Campervans. We have a couple of sites but you still see the free loaders parked off road, in passing places, church yards, cemetry car parks, village hall carparks etc some of which are within sight of a campsite.

Some of the regulated laybys get used by these folks including some caravaners and this give problems to HGV drivers who cannot get into a place when they have to take an enforced break.

I think you'd be hard pushed to get anyone to sign upto a petition such as that suggested in my area.

There also seems be opinions that there should be facilities such as toilets and waste disposal provided by councils for these folks to use. This would be paid for out of the council taxes which residents contribute to but not those visiting. Which leads onto a tourist tax which might go someway to providing these facitlities.

For what its worth I had a Motorhome but used it with consideration to where ever we went.

Rant over for the time being.....

 

[Challenger]

Unfortunately it's the usual inconsiderate few who are spoiling it. Free 'park ups' used for overnight stays invariably lead to inappropriate disposal of 'grey' waste- and in some cases 'black' waste too .
I've never undestood the minset of people who will pay many tens of thousands for a motorhome and then object to paying up to stay on proper camp sites.

 

[JTQ]

There also seems be opinions that there should be facilities such as toilets and waste disposal provided by councils for these folks to use. This would be paid for out of the council taxes which residents contribute to but not those visiting. Which leads onto a tourist tax which might go someway to providing these facitlities.

Then, "free loading" and using local community funded disposal points is not going to put much money into any tourist tax pot, if that tax is levied on camp sites, and other accommodation.

Have an "overnight parking charge" of similar amount to the camping fee? Plus enforce it very firmly.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

As is the norm it's a few irresponsible/inconsiderate/downright uncaring few who ruin it for the majority. I am talking about those who park up, for a week or more, in the same location and treat a piece of road as "their" campsite. As an ex MH owner I disagree strongly with them doing that.
As for "sleeping" in a MH that's simply impossible to prove. "Yes my MH was parked at "X" overnight, but I was staying elsewhere"
It's up to the enforcement officer to prove you were sleeping in it, you have to do nothing! However those sorts of notices do deter the vast majority, so they work.

"It's up to the enforcement officer to prove you were sleeping in it, you have to do nothing! However those sorts of notices do deter the vast majority, so they work." I hear that knocking on the door in the wee small hours, at regular intervals, can work wonders......... Ultimately, it will depend on how seriously the LA want to take the issue.

 

[izzy]

We have a caravan now but we had a MH for 12 years. Wish I had a pound for all the people who have said "We have always wanted one of those, it must be wonderful to just jump in it at the weekend and go where you want and just pull up and stay wherever you like"
How naive can you get?

 

[otherclive]

"It's up to the enforcement officer to prove you were sleeping in it, you have to do nothing! However those sorts of notices do deter the vast majority, so they work." I hear that knocking on the door in the wee small hours, at regular intervals, can work wonders......... Ultimately, it will depend on how seriously the LA want to take the issue.

Why should council taxpayers have to stump up for an Enforcement Officer to work nights trying to prove “guilt”. I’d use a private company authorised by the local authority to clamp the vehicle, which is only released on payment of the infringement charge. No checking if the MH is occupied or not. The charge would cover the company’s costs.

 

[Beardy]

HGV drivers have restricted options on their driving hours and routes. Totally different case with motorhomes where there are numerous options for overnighting albeit you may have to pay. I for one will not be signing any petitions.

The industrial estate I work on has HGVs parked on the road, overnight, every night. The layby's I drive past on my way home have HGVs parked up every night. There is a truck stop within 2 miles of both, I'm not buying that their hours are so restrictive that they can't get to the truck stop.

 

[Sam Vimes]

The industrial estate I work on has HGVs parked on the road, overnight, every night. The layby's I drive past on my way home have HGVs parked up every night. There is a truck stop within 2 miles of both, I'm not buying that their hours are so restrictive that they can't get to the truck stop.

But that's just one location. Here in the Highlands there aren't that many truck stops but plenty of laybys.

 

[RogerL]

The industrial estate I work on has HGVs parked on the road, overnight, every night. The layby's I drive past on my way home have HGVs parked up every night. There is a truck stop within 2 miles of both, I'm not buying that their hours are so restrictive that they can't get to the truck stop.

Is the truckstop full as well?

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

Why should council taxpayers have to stump up for an Enforcement Officer to work nights trying to prove “guilt”. I’d use a private company authorised by the local authority to clamp the vehicle, which is only released on payment of the infringement charge. No checking if the MH is occupied or not. The charge would cover the company’s costs.

The OP originally said:
"Lincoln Council say you can park overnight but not sleep in the vehicle, how daft can you get?"

I was quoting Mr Plodd's response (which, presumably, came from actual experience of enforcing laws and regulations). If Lincoln took up your kind advice and used "a private company authorised by the local authority to clamp the vehicle, which is only released on payment of the infringement charge. No checking if the MH is occupied or not.". The first question would be how can you charge for an "infringement" if you cannot show that there has, in fact, been an "infringement"? It appears that, in Lincoln, vehicles are allowed to be parked overnight. I suspect that such an approach would be swiftly deemed to be unlawful.

 

[RogerL]

The OP originally said:
"Lincoln Council say you can park overnight but not sleep in the vehicle, how daft can you get?"

I was quoting Mr Plodd's response (which, presumably, came from actual experience of enforcing laws and regulations). If Lincoln took up your kind advice and used "a private company authorised by the local authority to clamp the vehicle, which is only released on payment of the infringement charge. No checking if the MH is occupied or not.". The first question would be how can you charge for an "infringement" if you cannot show that there has, in fact, been an "infringement"? It appears that, in Lincoln, vehicles are allowed to be parked overnight. I suspect that such an approach would be swiftly deemed to be unlawful.

The local authority can eliminate any grey areas simply by banning motorhomes from parking overnight, say 8pm to 6am

 

[otherclive]

The industrial estate I work on has HGVs parked on the road, overnight, every night. The layby's I drive past on my way home have HGVs parked up every night. There is a truck stop within 2 miles of both, I'm not buying that their hours are so restrictive that they can't get to the truck stop.

The excellent Pit Stop on the M4 Jn17 has 87 truck pitches and most nights they are full. We use it sometimes for breakfast or occasionally a late meal if we are heading back home. But like you our local business park has HGVs parked up overnight. Sometimes there will be an occasional MH parked up in the business park.

Land adjacent to the Pitstop will be redeveloped to include 65 brand new HGV parking spaces along with 15 new dedicated van parking bays and 45 new car parking bays also being added.
IONITY are also set to add an additional 12 electric vehicle chargers here, utilising parking bays next to the existing chargers. Works were set to commence in October 2024, with the new parking areas anticipated to be in operation from early 2025.

Truck Stop, Services, Parking M4 Jct 17 | Chippenham Pit Stop

Award winning family run truckstop; restaurant/cafe, convenience store, bar, outdoor gym, showers & overnight parking. Family friendly, everyone is welcome!

chippenhampitstop.com

Recently a caravan pitched up on one of our roads, skylight open, even had the tv aerial extended. No sign of a car or even a person. But it gained an enforcement notice and one day just disappeared.