Anti motorhome policy in the UK (1 Viewer)

[Funnymunny]

Do the members think that there is an anti motorhome policy in the UK.

There seems to be a different council every other day trying to ban motorhomes, Dover is debating it, Weymouth has knocked months of hard work on the head due to pressure from others etc and that is just a couple.
Surely when manufacturers sell us the motorhomes they have a vested interest in seeing that we can use them in the UK rather than be forced to go abroad to use them as a lot of us do now. Site owners have an interest to keep us here but seem intent on pricing everybody except the rich out and councils have a vested interest in bringing work and business to their area but seem very anti motorhome.

I am not suggesting free aires as in France etc but it would be nice to have a simple system of aires where you could park for a night or two for a reasonable amount without having to pay an extortionate fee for facilities that the motorhomes doesn't need or want and not 5 miles out from the nearest town or bus stop.

RD

 

[chaser]

Why would you want to stay in England anyway, when you can be in france parking for free, get your ferry back in 3or 4 nights, nicer people, food , culture, more space on the roads, no competition

 

[chaser]

Even forgot about the weather

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[GJH]

Are local authorities anti-motorhome or are they unaware of any demand for aires? Indeed, is there a real demand for aires?

If there is a demand, where are aires wanted, everywhere or just in selected places? Would people be as attracted to places like Accrington (for instance) as they might be to seaside places? If a desirable place could be identified are there any suitable sites there for development of an aire?

Many local authorities cover several towns these days. Would they be expected to set up aires in each town or just one per authority? If the latter how would they make the selection?

If there is a demand how much would it cost to set up each aire and how much benefit would it bring to the local community (evidence based figures not assumptions)?

 

[buttons]

We have CLs give them a try you might be plesantly surprised.

 

[chaser]

We have had this all out before, aires would just not work here with our laws and attitude to " travelers " they would either be filled with undesirables you can't shift or empty because no one else would want to stay there

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[chaser]

We have CLs give them a try you might be plesantly surprised.

Cls are about as good as you are going to get in the UK, and nothing wrong with them. But you do have to be a member of cc or ccc

 

[GJH]

We have had this all out before, aires would just not work here with our laws and attitude to " travelers " they would either be filled with undesirables you can't shift or empty because no one else would want to stay there

I don't think that is universal because there are a few which do work (Canterbury and Fylde for instance). They are cases where the questions I posed earlier have been answered positively though, something which is not universal.

 

[GJH]

Cls are about as good as you are going to get in the UK, and nothing wrong with them. But you do have to be a member of cc or ccc

The MCC also has a number of CLs (some called Nightstops) and they are open to all. Fun also has a couple of CLs.

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[chaser]

I don't think that is universal because there are a few which do work (Canterbury and Fylde for instance). They are cases where the questions I posed earlier have been answered positively though, something which is not universal.

That is because they are near blackpool or the ferrys but your own argument about Accrington rules most other places out

 

[chaser]

The MCC also has a number of CLs (some called Nightstops) and they are open to all. Fun also has a couple of CLs.

You also have Britstops, so the list goes on , so is there any need for aires , don't think so

 

[GJH]

That is because they are near blackpool or the ferrys but your own argument about Accrington rules most other places out

Exactly - which is why I keep banging on about the need to identify specific areas and provide justification for development there, rather than just asking for some general system.

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[laneside]

As Chaser says CLs are all over the place and many are very good, if you want real value for money look at the wide range of places you can go to by using Temporary Holiday Sites (THS) There is always a full list of these published in the Caravan and Camping club magazine and they have some brilliant locations, yes you have to be a member.

If it is free that you really want then go across the channel because it will never happen on a wide scale in money grabbing, overcrowded England

 

[Jaws]

A place not too far from me got blocked because one of the councillors owns a camp site and was scared he would loose customers.. Bet this is quite prevalent

 

[Funnymunny]

As Chaser says CLs are all over the place and many are very good, if you want real value for money look at the wide range of places you can go to by using Temporary Holiday Sites (THS) There is always a full list of these published in the Caravan and Camping club magazine and they have some brilliant locations, yes you have to be a member.

If it is free that you really want then go across the channel because it will never happen on a wide scale in money grabbing, overcrowded England

In my post I stated I was not looking for FREE aires but somewhere you could pay a reasonable fee.
Yes there are Cls and I am a member of both the main clubs and also Brit Stops etc but on average they are all miles out of the nearest town or bus stop and that's okay if you want that or you have a car to get about in besides a motorhome.
Canterbury has got it right, a simple Park & Ride where you can spend a night and get into town where as a lot of other Park & Rides have height barriers or a no overnighting sign up.

The mayor of Cognac was once asked how they could supply an aire and electric free, he answered they owned the land and had the workforce and it cost 3,500 euros to install the bourne but he estimated that site would pay for itself in a very short time with what people spent in his town, a totally different way of thinking to us Brits.

RD

RD

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[Wildman]

If people were really prepared to pay £7 a night, for water, dump point and WC plus a level field close to the sea, a bus route, town, golf course, horse riding, pub etc then the likes of Red kite camping and our own site in Devon would be fully booked all year round. The trouble is people seem to want electric, and all the comforts of home for nowt. So it will never happen in the UK.

 

[Puddleduck]

I'll add three more places that allow (one even encourages) overnight stoppers for free,

Hawick, Jedburgh and Duns. The first two have public loos during the day. All three "stops" are right in the town centre.

 

[dabhand]

Forward thinking Local Councils are a bit thin on the ground in the uk. For many reasons such as a lack of central gov funding, they have to raise as much revenue as possible, so they increase business rates so small independent retailers can't compete on local high streets, so we get a proliferation of charity shops, then they increase the parking charges in local car parks and surprise surprise fewer people want to go to the high streets because you can only get 2nd hand stuff from the charity shops, then they put height barriers on the car parks so motor homes can't use up all the empty spaces created by the above, thereby stopping in the main, the people that do want to spend a few bob on the high street!

I have noticed however that those LA's which do go out of their way to encourage motor homes to park often have many staying there. A boon to the local high street and the local economy. Tell your MP.

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[chaser]

Another big problem is the size of the UK I know everyone isn't the same as us but there must be thousands who are, we, in our sixties have pretty much been everywhere in UK and there is just not the scope you get once you have crossed the channel , not just france but the whole of Europe and beyond, so you are left with younger people with children and they all want campsites not aires, not saying this is the Main reason by ay means but it all adds up.

 

[2657]

In my post I stated I was not looking for FREE aires but somewhere you could pay a reasonable fee.
Yes there are Cls and I am a member of both the main clubs and also Brit Stops etc but on average they are all miles out of the nearest town or bus stop and that's okay if you want that or you have a car to get about in besides a motorhome.
Canterbury has got it right, a simple Park & Ride where you can spend a night and get into town where as a lot of other Park & Rides have height barriers or a no overnighting sign up.

The mayor of Cognac was once asked how they could supply an aire and electric free, he answered they owned the land and had the workforce and it cost 3,500 euros to install the bourne but he estimated that site would pay for itself in a very short time with what people spent in his town, a totally different way of thinking to us Brits.

RD

RD

Perhaps a caravan would be more appropriate in the UK !!

 

[GJH]

Canterbury has got it right, a simple Park & Ride where you can spend a night and get into town where as a lot of other Park & Rides have height barriers or a no overnighting sign up.

Canterbury also has a location which is probably unique amongst P&R sites in the advantage it provides.

The mayor of Cognac was once asked how they could supply an aire and electric free, he answered they owned the land and had the workforce and it cost 3,500 euros to install the bourne but he estimated that site would pay for itself in a very short time with what people spent in his town, a totally different way of thinking to us Brits.

Cognac is a town of about 19,000 population with an obvious tourist attractiveness and in an area which can take advantage of traffic traveling between Spain/Portugal and northern Europe. Even without the latter factor where are there similar towns in the UK where there is land available which would make it possible to set up an aire with a bourne for 3,500 Euros?
Canterbury has a dump manhole and water stand pipe (perfectly sufficient) but other places such as mentioned above have only succeeded because expenditure has been virtually nil.

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[GJH]

Forward thinking Local Councils are a bit thin on the ground in the uk. For many reasons such as a lack of central gov funding, they have to raise as much revenue as possible, so they increase business rates so small independent retailers can't compete on local high streets, so we get a proliferation of charity shops, then they increase the parking charges in local car parks and surprise surprise fewer people want to go to the high streets because you can only get 2nd hand stuff from the charity shops, then they put height barriers on the car parks so motor homes can't use up all the empty spaces created by the above, thereby stopping in the main, the people that do want to spend a few bob on the high street!

Sorry but you have two myths in one there.
1. Local authorities do not increase business rates. Business rates are set centrally and have been since the 1980s.
2.Height barriers are seldom, if ever, installed on car parks to stop motorhomes using them. Normally it is to stop any vehicles heavier than 2 tonnes, commercial vehicles or nuisance unauthorised camp sites.

I have noticed however that those LA's which do go out of their way to encourage motor homes to park often have many staying there. A boon to the local high street and the local economy. Tell your MP.

Some places do have many motorhomes staying but not all - Guisborough failed through lack of use. Also, people may stay but how many are a boon to the local economy. Look back over various threads and many people spend little where they stay, especially on weekend trips where they lave home with fully stocked fridges and cupboards.

 

[chaser]

Sorry but you have two myths in one there.
1. Local authorities do not increase business rates. Business rates are set centrally and have been since the 1980s.
2.Height barriers are seldom, if ever, installed on car parks to stop motorhomes using them. Normally it is to stop any vehicles heavier than 2 tonnes, commercial vehicles or nuisance unauthorised camp sites.

Some places do have many motorhomes staying but not all - Guisborough failed through lack of use. Also, people may stay but how many are a boon to the local economy. Look back over various threads and many people spend little where they stay, especially on weekend trips where they lave home with fully stocked fridges and cupboards.

And you have got two indecrepences in the quote , 1 you say all that's left are charity shops that the locals don't want to use , 2 you say open parks would bring people who want to use the high street , why , if the locals don't use it why would moterhomers.

 

[Ivory55]

If you saw on the news about Harlow in Essex under siege from travellers you can understand people being anti motorhomes parking up in car parks over night.

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[normanandsue]

We have CLs give them a try you might be plesantly surprised.

I have looked at a couple and found them to be as expensive as fully serviced sites

 

[frogijock]

Get yourself an Irish accent, half a dozen kids, an old tranny and a caravan and the whole of the UK is a free Aire

 

[magicsurfbus]

Canterbury also has a location which is probably unique amongst P&R sites in the advantage it provides.

Ironic though that one of the reasons Canterbury P&R does so well is because of British MH owners fleeing across the Channel to MH-friendly France.

Most French aires aren't near ferry ports but are still considered a worthwhile investment by local communes. That said, the retirement age in France is earlier than ours and it's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, so the MH demographics are different.

A possible way of policing UK MH stopovers against abuse would be to install rising bollards at the exits - outstay your welcome and you either pay a release fee or crunch goes your chassis.

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[dabhand]

Height barriers are seldom, if ever, installed on car parks to stop motorhomes using them. Normally it is to stop any vehicles heavier than 2 tonnes, commercial vehicles or nuisance unauthorised camp sites.

The point is that height barriers DO stop motorhomes, with reference to business rates, the point was inarticulately expressed, my meaning was that with the ever increasing costs to the high street shops and some local councils adding to this by increasing local car parking charges, why would they not encourage motorhomes or rather their occupants (i know you like to be pedantic from using local shops and facilities.

Is that better

Simon

And you have got two indecrepences in the quote , 1 you say all that's left are charity shops that the locals don't want to use , 2 you say open parks would bring people who want to use the high street , why , if the locals don't use it why would moterhomers.

Bloody hell, going to have to choose my words carefully with you guys, no indiscrepency at all, locals don't want to use cos the car park charges have increased leading to a drop off in trade leading to an increase in charity shops so height barriers are an added bar to the chance of others (Mhomers) using the facilities which MIGHT add some trade to the High Street encouraging shops to open other than Charity shops. I know what I mean anyway!!

 

[dabhand]

And another thing, have used car parks all over the uk, Tintagel, Ludlow Ross on Wye to name but three, because there was no height restriction, eating in the town on each occasion and spending dollar in the shops, this would not have happened if there had been height barriers, oh, and I didn't see one gypsy or articulated lorry!

 

[EzeeRider]

Sorry but you have two myths in one there.
Look back over various threads and many people spend little where they stay, especially on weekend trips where they lave home with fully stocked fridges and cupboards.

I think you have at least one myth Graham, I would like to think it is some people. It would be very interesting to see what exactly is a motorhome owners profile in this country. A survey on the Continent suggest this:

"A poll carried out a few years ago reveals that 70% of the motor
caravanners are formed by businessman, retired people and teachers. Their average
yearly income is over 28.000 euros. 61% of them normally shop in hypermarkets while
39% buy in local shops; one in every three motor caravanners goes to a restaurant
between 2 and 3 days a week (source: Harris Etudes)."

Is the profile of the UK owner very much different? The retired are certainly targeted by many as a group with surplus income to spend! I am not sure Aires (Stopovers) would be a wide success here but sure as hell daytime parking for motorhomes could be improved greatly in those areas tourists flock to with campsites offering overnight "Quick Stop" facilities for motorhome owners.
For those who do not know about "Quick Stops" this is a limited stay of one night usually between the hours of 6pm to 10am the next day at a much reduced daily rate.

Ezee

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