Motorway service area parking

[Robtel]

A subject that has been covered before but is the parking provisions for caravans getting worse in service areas?
I don't use the motorways much when caravanning, annual jaunt to the south coast for crossing over to France is about the most with the rest of the year on more local and shorter trips. Just back from this year's trip and felt that the availability for parking had deteriorated. Either couldn't get into designated spaces because of cars and transit vans parked (despite plenty of car parking spaces) or the designated spaces were far too narrow resulting in two outfits taking up three spaces.
Anybody else notice this or is it just me being spoilt after the much better facilities enjoyed across the Channel?

 

[pensioner]

I agree with you on the Transit vans and car using the bays,,just lazy ,,and the lanes are a bit narrow too ,,,mind you so are the normal bays for cars,,or are our cars getting wider,,

 

[Jaydug]

is the parking provisions for caravans getting worse in service areas?
quote]

I don't think it's any worse than it's always been. Yes - they are usually badly sign posted; too few and even too short. But let's face it, we as caravanners are probably the group from which they take the least of their income.

 

[Raywood]

I know the problem but the truth is the service operators do not want us. We take up a lot of space, tend to bring our own food and visit them only rarely using only the toilets. Cars take up far less space and despite the prices tend to eat there. Coaches bring lots of people for roughly the same space and lorries need even more space but are there daily and most eat there. If they do not want us they are not going to worry that paying customers are going to push us out.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I believe they are legally obliged to provide 'rest' space for ALL drivers, whether the drivers buy anything or not.

Edit - the least they can get away with is to put caravans in with the lorries.