Service areas

[FrintonMike]

Last Friday we travelled to the Midlands and as usual stopped at the Cambridge Services on the A14 as it is halfway.
Traffic was queuing to get in and when we managed to get in had to turn arround and come out as it was full
Vans and cars with trailers carrying boats and the like were in the caravan spaces which normally sets me going but as the lorry park was also full I accepted it. We then had to travel another 60 odd miles to the M6 to the next services.
My thoughts now turn to where large vans and cars with trailers should park as they are too large for the car spaces. Should they nornally go with the lorries, if not where ?

 

[Craigyoung]

I would head for the normal car park and take up two spaces , 6o miles is another hours drive if your needing loo breaks for kids and yourselves , in France , you park anywhere as we found out last year !

 

[Pedr01800]

There are no where enough place for towing veh9cle to stop for few mins. I took large trailer behind my Disco on Tues, carrying 3 piece for friend, all the way to Stevenage. 45 miles all told.
But as I progresses, needed to stop for leak, then to tie down blue sheet, and only few laybys on the GPS selected route. Found a handy tree, then a cuppa parking space to retie cover.
When previously covering miles towing in Europe, loads of Aires to pull into, rest and leak available.
This country, if you can access space in parking lots for services, wardens are watching the minutes, then pounce if over time. They make no allowance for Blue Badge holders slow progress to and from loos, and I know as am blue badge holder. Forever suffering long meaningful discussions with numbskulls who are programmed to issue tickets.

 

[FrintonMike]

Used the Cambridge services again last Friday at 20;30 HRS.
11 spaces set aside for caravan and 10 occupied by vans. I squeezed into the last available space but the caravans behind me were not so lucky and went to the lorry park

 

[SirRogerFFS]

I have visited Cambridge services several times,Its always the same in the Caravan bays vans cars with trailers anything that shouldnt be there will park in the caravan bays ,.Got to be one of the worst services in the UK.
Sir Roger

 

[Jaydug]

I think it's reasonable for a car towing a trailer to park in "Caravans Only" spots. Same applies to cars towing boats. It's when several white van men park in them that annoys me. And also when HGVs bed down for the night in them in the late evening.

 

[Paul_5041263]

We called into Peterborough services Monday 13th July and found three white vans were parked in caravan bays one with the driver asleep on the front seats!. In future, in similar conditions, I shall make for the lorry park. After all if all and sundry can take up some of the few trailer spaces I don't see why caravans cant overflow to commercial spaces which are empty.

 

[JonnyG]

We called into Peterborough services Monday 13th July and found three white vans were parked in caravan bays one with the driver asleep on the front seats!. In future, in similar conditions, I shall make for the lorry park. After all if all and sundry can take up some of the few trailer spaces I don't see why caravans cant overflow to commercial spaces which are empty.

what commercial spaces? the spaces you talk of are clearly marked for HGV's and vans do not constitute an HGV !! two wrongs does not make a right .

 

[Raywood]

The problem here is transit size vans need more space than many car parks grant and do not need a lorry or coach space and there seems to be no specific place for them. The operators of the services need to sort this out and sign them somewhere.
I have to accept cars with trailers and boats will use the caravan spaces as there is no other sensible alternative.
The other problem is that the operators do not enforce the rules. We were at Tebay Northbound services on Monday and it was chaos. You start with a parking area that is far too small for all vehicles and although they sign clearly where to go cars park in the lorry and caravan bays and despite staff being there nothing was said. These are probably the worst of all services for parking whatever you drive and yet best for the services themselves. The Southbound services are no problem as plenty of space for all users and caravan have a large area to themselves.