Wild Camping Problem In Worthing (1 Viewer)

Aug 10, 2012
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I have attached a link to a Worthing Herald article concerning a wild camping problem in Worthing.
Broken Link Removed
It does seem a pity that difficulties are being created for other motorhome users who just wish to make day visits to the town.
There is a Caravan Club site, well placed, on the north side of Worthing which had its toilet block shut a few years ago. This was, so I am given to understand, because the Council had not finalised on development plans for the area and the Club did not wish to put expensive investment into the site without knowing that it would be for the long term.
 

Wildman

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so motorhome users are not legitimate visitors? They are not put off. wild parking is no different for a car, van or motorhome. I really only see misery for the campsite owners who are having a lean time and believe everyone should use their site, well I do not subscribe to that philosophy. Live and let live, stop discriminating against motorhomers. End of (for Steve's benefit, hee hee)
 
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That's goring gap and I go there regularly to walk my dogs and never had any problem parking, mind you I only go weekdays so I don't know what it's like at weekends. But it's the same old story, motorhomes parked up without moving for weeks on end, it's the same selfish few creating a problem for everyone and I have seen motorhomers putting out awnings and windbreaks which in my opinion again is stupid and selfish.
The campsite in question is a CC one and a season ticket is as cheap as chips but you try and get one, I have twice and couldn't get in, so that campsite despite not having a shower block is pretty busy.

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GJH

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Councillor Oakley is wrong in saying: “Nobody has a lawful right to park their car on the road unless they have something like a controlled parking zone permit.". So long as there are no restrictions in place and the requirements of overnight lighting are complied with them roadside camping is lawful, see Here.

If some people are abusing common land, though, that is a different matter. As is the sheer fact that too many for too long is an abuse of all of us.
 

Judge Mental

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We are currently house hunting in the area....have not wild camped so far but intended to :(
 

scotjimland

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There are two possible outcomes or solutions.. . well actually three ..

* Capitalise and provide facilities for motorhomes
* Legislate against.
* Do nothing and let the situation deteriorate.

Somehow, we instinctively know which one it will probably be ..

From a Westcountry newspaper .. They see and understand both the issue and the potential.. I agree with this ..

"The Westcountry is popular, but motorhomers struggle to park. Often campsites are out in the countryside, they are very expensive and have facilities which motorhomers don't need. And they are very busy, especially in peak times in popular holiday areas.

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...tory-26680770-detail/story.html#ixzz3dg6pbEcg
 

jonandshell

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Fencing off their own little gardens? Jesus!

Where do these morons come from? Have they no common sense?

More freeloading idiots to spoil it for the rest of us careful, respectful wild campers.
 

GJH

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From a Westcountry newspaper .. They see and understand both the issue and the potential.. I agree with this ..

"The Westcountry is popular, but motorhomers struggle to park. Often campsites are out in the countryside, they are very expensive and have facilities which motorhomers don't need. And they are very busy, especially in peak times in popular holiday areas.

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...tory-26680770-detail/story.html#ixzz3dg6pbEcg
What planet is Rachel Stothert on? In her position she should know that people open caravan sites in the country because land is cheaper there. They open for a restricted period because opening over the winter isn't profitable.

There is nothing to stop anyone opening a caravan site close to a town, so long as they are willing to pay the price for the land required and obtain planning permission, so why don't people do it? Could it be that there isn't sufficient profit in it?

I notice that the lady quoted, Alison Standring, makes the usual vague statement about economics rather than making a sound case. As we know from previous threads, the amounts spent by motorhomers vary greatly.

Obviously the WMN is ignorant of the law because Devon County Council is not a licensing authority for caravan sites. I suppose actually establishing facts just to fill white space is too much trouble though.

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scotjimland

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What planet is Rachel Stothert on?

not getting into a debate about a newspaper article Graham.. and slagging off the author isn't solving anything.

The point was, the article has identified a problem .. and suggested solutions.. how it is solved is open to discussion, and there is probably more than one solution.. aires, pub stops, motorhome parking, etc ..

Sites are not best suited to the needs of the touring motorhomer, they are generally out of town, expensive, not open all year, and provide facilities most motorhomers do not need or want to pay for.. clearly there is a demand for cheap or free parking for motorhomes .. as is provided all over Europe and the demand is rising in the UK, and yes I did say 'free' it is not uncommon in France. Money that is not put into parking meters generally goes into the local economy by other spending..

Year on year, sales and ownership of motorhomes is outstripping caravan sales.. and not just from UK travellers, but from Continental visitors who are dismayed that the UK is so unfriendly toward motorhomes.

We are missing a trick, the West Country in particular, which is largely dependent on tourism for it's employment and income could exploit this demand.. mainly from quite well off retirees with grey pounds burning holes in pockets..

Do nothing and the situation deteriorates, new TROs banning overnight parking, residents getting the hump.. money going elsewhere .. mainly to France and other welcoming countries..

This is not an argument .. in my mind there is no question that there is a demand, else these pictures and stories would never be in the newspapers..

The last paragraph is not heartening..

The WMN on Sunday asked Devon County Council what it proposed to do about attracting motor homes to the region's towns and villages but did not receive a reply.

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...tory-26680770-detail/story.html#ixzz3dgPxx15g
 
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GJH

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not getting into a debate about a newspaper article Graham.. and slagging off the author isn't solving anything.
The point is that Rachel Stothert is in a position where she should know the answers as to why caravan sites are where they are &c.
The point was, the article has identified a problem .. and suggested solutions.. how it is solved is open to discussion, and there is probably more than one solution.. aires, pub stops, morotome parking, etc ..

Sites are not best suited to the needs of the touring motorhomer, they are generally out of town, expensive, not open all year, and provide facilities most motorhomers do not need or want to pay for.. clearly there is a demand for cheap or free parking for motorhomes .. as is provided all over Europe and the demand is rising in the UK, and yes I did say 'free' it is not uncommon in France. Money that is not put into parking meters generally goes into the local economy by other spending..

Year on year, sales and ownership of motorhomes is outstripping caravan sales.. and not just from UK travellers, but from Continental visitors who are dismayed that the UK is so unfriendly toward motrhomes.

We are missing a trick, the West Country in particular, which is largely dependent on tourism for it's employment and income could exploit this demand.. mainly from quite well off retirees with grey pounds burning holes in pockets..

Do nothing and the situation deteriorates, new TROs banning overnight parking, residents getting the hump.. money going elsewhere .. mainly to France and other welcoming countries..

This is not an argument .. in my mind there is no question that there is a demand, else these pictures and stories would never be in the newspapers..
The "problem" is certainly well publicised but is it really a problem? If there really is a demand why don't business people see that and do something to make money from it? Could it be that the "demand" is only coming from the few hundred people who sign meaningless petitions & camp as in Worthing and not from the rest of the quarter of a million motorhome owners?

The reason such stories make the local press is that they are an easy way of filling white space. Complaint from local residence, 5 minute phone call to somebody working in the industry for a quote, large stock photo and there's half a page filled for little effort.
The last paragraph is not heartening..

The WMN on Sunday asked Devon County Council what it proposed to do about attracting motor homes to the region's towns and villages but did not receive a reply.

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...tory-26680770-detail/story.html#ixzz3dgPxx15g
Apart from the fact that, as mentioned, the county council is not a licensing authority, I wonder how and when the WMN contacted the council. Given experience of local media interaction with local authorities I would not be surprised at all if they did it late last week and the county council simply didn't have time to give the immediate response they wanted.
 

scotjimland

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The "problem" is certainly well publicised but is it really a problem?

can't speak for everyone Graham.. but from my perspective, yes.. it is a growing problem.

Irrespective of parking regulations, I am not prepared to park overnight in residential streets, sea fronts, promenades etc .. I didn't buy a motorhome to enable camping in the street but by the same token am not prepared to pay £22 and more to park for the night on a site with facilities we don't need or want..

Hence joining and using BritStops.. would rather spend the same or less money in a pub as give it to site.. going abroad is not only cheaper but more inviting than touring in many areas of the UK .. Sad but true.. I love the UK, but my hard earned will be going abroad this year.. yet again.

CLs are not much cheaper.. many are over £15.. and few are within walking distance of town centres or seafronts. We use them when we can.. and some are very good.. for example, last month we had a week on one near Broadstairs in Kent, £9 per night including the EHU and a toilet ... first class.. and walking distance to a new shopping complex..

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GJH

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can't speak for everyone Graham.. but from my perspective, yes.. it is a growing problem.
But how widespread a problem, Jim, as I asked previously?

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, we had 22 nights away for an average of about a tenner a night. We are looking forward to similar costings on our next planned trips (a week and a half at Misterton with a couple of stops on the way home) and then 4 weeks in the south west. We've been doing the same sort of camping for the last couple of years, mainly using THSs, meets and CLs/CSs and the only time we've had any problem finding somewhere is when we had to cancel plans last year and find a place for a couple of nights at short notice.

It's all very well us saying that we want somewhere that is not a residential street, sea front or promenade but how are we going to achieve that? Two ways only:
1. provided by a local authority at the expense of local taxpayers;
2. provided by a private business at their own expense.
In both cases nothing will happen unless those who are expected to spend the money see a worthwhile return from that expenditure.
 

GJH

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going abroad is not only cheaper but more inviting than touring in many areas of the UK
Just picking up on the cost point, Jim, I wonder (because I genuinely don't know) is it really cheaper? How much is the return channel crossing, for instance, which would have to be averaged out over the number of nights?
 

Lenny HB

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Being a local it's the old story the few spoiling it for the majority, the area in question does not have any residents nearby so in moderation does not cause a problem. A few weeks ago I was walking my daughters dog there and they really are taking the piss (this is me talking who dislikes sites) it was obvious several of the vans had been there for weeks with their awnings out on the green, tables chairs etc. Motorhomes have overnighted their for as long as I can remember but it they are just getting redictuless.

About 10 years ago Worthing council took action on the main seafront, just outside the parking zone every year 2 or 3 vans (same ones I used to drive by them daily) would arrive in late April park on the seafront side near the public toilets and stay until June. What the council did was quite fair they only banned Motohomes from parking on the seafront side, but the restriction was purely brought in due to the selfish few.
Since then I have noticed most Motorhomes don't appear to understand a parking sign that says cars only and still park there during the day don't know how many have had tickets, wardens don't very often patrol that area.

For anyone unaware of the car only sign.
Capture.JPG


And this is the area currently in the news.
Capture2.JPG

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donnkim

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My brother lives in East Preston and is a member of their Parish Council. When we were last down there I encouraged him to look into an 'Aire' system for his village as it would generate income. I don't know if he has suggested anything yet.
However we drove past the area in question a number of times and the same M/Hs were in the same position especially a large American RV. These are the guys taking the p..s.
If they would just camp up a night or two then move on.
 
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The "problem" is certainly well publicised but is it really a problem? If there really is a demand why don't business people see that and do something to make money from it?
Because the business providing the facility isn't the business deriving the benefit. The benefit is derived by all the businesses in the area that want to attract touring motorhomers with money to spend. That's why the provision of a free/cheap stopovers needs to be a community (i.e. council) project, even if sub-contracted to a private business to run.

But even in areas of proven need & benefit, it's going to be difficult. For any significant benefit to accrue to local businesses, the stopover has to be close to town & village centres. In England, these places are usually already short of parking, so there won't be much appetite to convert existing car parking places to dedicated m/h spaces. In most places, there won't be any unused areas suitable to create any new space.
 

Judge Mental

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we were in the area the other weekend house hunting while staying with friends in Hove. we looked along there Saturday and about 3 or 4 vans parked up. The idea being in future to park up and use the bikes to do the viewings and spend the evening in town. I don't think we will bother now. the CC site is £27 + in low season for non members and isolated IMO.

Just another example of nimbyism which is so prevalent in the UK. Welcome to the most policed nation in Europe. Its the same selfish logic that has stymied real growth, caused a housing crisis/HS2/ airport expansion etc...etc.... the end result being we are falling behind economically and have ended up with a disenfranchised young....

No one was "camping out" when we drove past. and there are no houses behind so not obstructing anyone's views..A big fuss about nothing!
 
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Just picking up on the cost point, Jim, I wonder (because I genuinely don't know) is it really cheaper? How much is the return channel crossing, for instance, which would have to be averaged out over the number of nights?

Using tesco voucher exchange my next tunnel crossing is costing me nothing. Last time we visited France my average nightly cost was €3.60 which includes any campsite/aire/elec/water/parking costs. In general due to the rising costs of cls I do find it cheaper to head off to France. Obviously there is the fuel cost of getting to Folkestone, but then that's no more than if I decided to visit some parts of the UK.

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GJH

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Because the business providing the facility isn't the business deriving the benefit. The benefit is derived by all the businesses in the area that want to attract touring motorhomers with money to spend. That's why the provision of a free/cheap stopovers needs to be a community (i.e. council) project, even if sub-contracted to a private business to run.

But even in areas of proven need & benefit, it's going to be difficult. For any significant benefit to accrue to local businesses, the stopover has to be close to town & village centres. In England, these places are usually already short of parking, so there won't be much appetite to convert existing car parking places to dedicated m/h spaces. In most places, there won't be any unused areas suitable to create any new space.
If the benefit is derived by all businesses in the area then isn't the obvious funding source the local chamber of Commerce? Can anyone really expect council tax payers to fund a facility which very few of them, if any, gain benefit from?

Absolutely correct about the lack of space though - and that applies to council owned car parks as well as any other space.
 

GJH

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Using tesco voucher exchange my next tunnel crossing is costing me nothing. Last time we visited France my average nightly cost was €3.60 which includes any campsite/aire/elec/water/parking costs. In general due to the rising costs of cls I do find it cheaper to head off to France. Obviously there is the fuel cost of getting to Folkestone, but then that's no more than if I decided to visit some parts of the UK.
Thanks for that but we only tend to use Tesco when away if that is the store convenient to where we happen to be. We stopped using the closest one at home because it cost far more than closer rivals.

I was really looking for the actual cost in order to make a comparison.
 

GJH

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we were in the area the other weekend house hunting while staying with friends in Hove. we looked along there Saturday and about 3 or 4 vans parked up. The idea being in future to park up and use the bikes to do the viewings and spend the evening in town. I don't think we will bother now. the CC site is £27 + in low season for non members and isolated IMO.

Just another example of nimbyism which is so prevalent in the UK. Welcome to the most policed nation in Europe. Its the same selfish logic that has stymied real growth, caused a housing crisis/HS2/ airport expansion etc...etc.... the end result being we are falling behind economically and have ended up with a disenfranchised young....
It seems, in general, that people are tolerant if there are only a couple of vans at a time and they only stay a day or two. What spoils it is the way some people are abusing that tolerance, as @donnkim described. The reaction then isn't nimbyism but understandable frustration.

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Judge Mental

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Just back from weymouth meet yesterday. free parking in car parks all over the town after 6pm, motorhomes expressly included. (don't know re over night) so I parked up to meet Mrs Mental of London train and we had a meal in town etc...

How difficult is this really for a council to comprehend!lol:D
 
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If the benefit is derived by all businesses in the area then isn't the obvious funding source the local chamber of Commerce?
I would have thought at the two working together would be the obvious answer. Councils do appear to have providing the infrastructure to help business flourish as part of their remit. After all, it's only one step up from providing a place for visitors to park. Most seaside towns have council funded parks & gardens specifically to attract visitors (not that I'm suggesting they should necessarily park motorhomes next to the decorative fountains). :D
 

GJH

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I would have thought at the two working together would be the obvious answer. Councils do appear to have providing the infrastructure to help business flourish as part of their remit. After all, it's only one step up from providing a place for visitors to park. Most seaside towns have council funded parks & gardens specifically to attract visitors (not that I'm suggesting they should necessarily park motorhomes next to the decorative fountains). :D
The obvious council input would be in not placing obstacles in the way of planning consent for a caravan site licence and, possibly, assisting in finding a piece of land which is suitable. If there is no suitable land available in a given area, though, it is academic unfortunately.

I take the point about parks and gardens but most of them were created many years ago when funding (some of which was from private philanthropists) was a lot easier to come by. With the current economic climate, funding for maintenance of such existing assets can be hard to come by let alone funding for extras.

I've called, on a number of occasions, for people to identify plots of land in their local town (or a place they know through visiting) in order that approaches could be made to the owners regarding conversion into an aire type caravan site. From memory I think only two, maybe three, people responded. That's one of the reasons I've come to believe that there isn't really a large demand for them.
 

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