To what extent do Funsters really want UK aires? (1 Viewer)

[GJH]

Once again we have a thread about aires going with all the usual unfounded claims and counter arguments.

For a while now I've been wondering how much Funsters really want UK aires. Enough to actually try and do something about it?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

It would be fantastic if there was a network. I'd make use of it and probably tour in the UK more than I do now. I'd be happy to pay as well, I wouldn't expect anywhere to be free.

I don't however expect any LA or private company to be expected to provide or finance them without a lot of good data supporting the demand and viability. Vague pronouncements about the number of motorhomes being registered aren't going to cut it.

I've thought about it for Kettering, the nearest town to me. I'm not sure that there would ever be much demand as the place really isn't worth visiting so there's no way any real investment could be justified. Moving on from that I don't believe there is any LA land that would be suitable. I don't think any of the car parks are - all but one of them are too small and tight to make them suitable for large vehicles and the other one is in the middle of town near a lot of the late night pubs so isn't somewhere I would choose to overnight.

If I ever see any potentially suitable sites anywhere else I'm happy to write to the relevant authority.

 

[GJH]

I've thought about it for Kettering, the nearest town to me. I'm not sure that there would ever be much demand as the place really isn't worth visiting so there's no way any real investment could be justified. Moving on from that I don't believe there is any LA land that would be suitable. I don't think any of the car parks are - all but one of them are too small and tight to make them suitable for large vehicles and the other one is in the middle of town near a lot of the late night pubs so isn't somewhere I would choose to overnight.

That's a point that applies to so many places, Nick, and one which people simply don't even appreciate when they claim that creating aires would be easy, cheap and viable.

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[Sheddy]

We currently have an aire of sorts at the Harbour in Burry Port where we live in South Wales, unfortunately they will soon be developing the site and the parking area will be lost.
Last year the night before the nearby Pembrey meet we managed to get 20 Funster vans on the site, 40 folk went for a meal in a local pub and to the Yacht Club after for a drink or two, between us we probably spent over £1000 in the town, money that would not of been spent if not for the aire.
One of the reasons for arranging the gathering was to get the attention of local Councillors, to apply pressure to try and ensure there will be provision for Motorhome parking in the development parking area.
Not sure if we succeeded but will find out more when we get home in the spring.
You never know we may get lucky.
Cheers
Ed

 

[GJH]

We currently have an aire of sorts at the Harbour in Burry Port where we live in South Wales, unfortunately they will soon be developing the site and the parking area will be lost.
Last year the night before the nearby Pembrey meet we managed to get 20 Funster vans on the site, 40 folk went for a meal in a local pub and to the Yacht Club after for a drink or two, between us we probably spent over £1000 in the town, money that would not of been spent if not for the aire.
One of the reasons for arranging the gathering was to get the attention of local Councillors, to apply pressure to try and ensure there will be provision for Motorhome parking in the development parking area.
Not sure if we succeeded but will find out more when we get home in the spring.
You never know we may get lucky.
Cheers
Ed

Hopefully you will be Ed. I was approached by somebody from Burry Port, for advice, when they started looking into this a few years ago. As of last September they were still looking to develop it.

 

[Popeye]

Hi Graham, just to clarify, I clicked on "approached Council to try to persuade," when in fact I had dinner with a councilor and tried my hardest to convince her that there is a good case for one in the Salisbury area and all of this was based on being one of @Sheddy Bury Port gang........

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[GJH]

Hi Graham, just to clarify, I clicked on "approached Council to try to persuade," when in fact I had dinner with a councilor and tried my hardest to convince her that there is a good case for one in the Salisbury area and all of this was based on being one of @Sheddy Bury Port gang........

Any approach is better than none Griff Why not follow it up with a "Remember that lovely dinner? Why don't we get together with your tourism officer to talk about motorhomes in more depth?" e-mail

 

[Fletton]

I've sat here and thought about it....
My conclusion is; as an individuals "we" would have little effect be it on a LA or national basis.

Recognised bodies such as CCC and CC have a vested interest NOT to lobby for them.

There is no "recognised" body that I know of that has any data to show any sort of business case to warrant any development ...

They wouldn't accept the - "build it and they will come" scenario ...

What I would conclude is;
The Britstop facility is about as near as the UK is going to get regarding Aires ... Along with the pub stop data...
And tollerent LAs. Not forgetting CLs and CSs.

John

 

[Sheddy]

Hopefully you will be Ed. I was approached by somebody from Burry Port, for advice, when they started looking into this a few years ago. As of last September they were still looking to develop it.

Did they mention anything about a possible EU grant with provision to build a number of Aires in Carmarthenshire? Something I heard on the 'grapevine' a while ago, but have never been able to confirm is actually happening.
Cheers
Ed

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[GJH]

​

Did they mention anything about a possible EU grant with provision to build a number of Aires in Carmarthenshire? Something I heard on the 'grapevine' a while ago, but have never been able to confirm is actually happening.
Cheers
Ed

No, I haven't heard anything about that.

 

[Popeye]

Why not follow it up with a "Remember that lovely dinner?

I can't do that and I can't explain why, save to say it wasn't a lovely dinner. I have another contact though and will give that whirl. (Not holding my breath on this though)

 

[GJH]

I've sat here and thought about it....
My conclusion is; as an individuals "we" would have little effect be it on a LA or national basis.

Recognised bodies such as CCC and CC have a vested interest NOT to lobby for them.

There is no "recognised" body that I know of that has any data to show any sort of business case to warrant any development ...

They wouldn't accept the - "build it and they will come" scenario ...

What I would conclude is;
The Britstop facility is about as near as the UK is going to get regarding Aires ... Along with the pub stop data...
And tollerent LAs. Not forgetting CLs and CSs.

John

The MCC wrote to all councils a few years ago (about the time I was involved with the Guisborough project) and sent them a DVD of what happens on the continent. Like all national initiatives, though, it was unable to show benefits to specific areas.

The most successful work was done in Northern Ireland by a small group (can't remember if they were connected to the MCC or not) but they succeeded because they were able to target individual authorities (and, I think, because of money available there but not in England, Scotland and Wales).

Where there has been success elsewhere is has been through the efforts of individuals, making specific cases to particular authorities. so "we" can have an effect if "we" make the case

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[GJH]

I can't do that and I can't explain why, save to say it wasn't a lovely dinner. I have another contact though and will give that whirl. (Not holding my breath on this though)

Fair enough. Hopefully your other contact will be more receptive

 

[Mother Ship]

I've sat here and thought about it....
My conclusion is; as an individuals "we" would have little effect be it on a LA or national basis.


There is no "recognised" body that I know of that has any data to show any sort of business case to warrant any development ...



John

I agree as individuals we might have little effect but MotorhomeFUN is a recognised body with 1000's of members and maybe with data collected by members @Jim could make a case on behalf of us all????

 

[sedge]

It's hard for me to answer that with the choices available Graham.

I can't say I've ever actually been anywhere where it's ever crossed my mind that 'An aire here would be brilliant' - although when the one in Ambleside was going we both thought that was brill - in adulthood we have only been to Ambleside once, and it was hard enough to park two Blackbirds, to go and have a mooch, let alone a car or motorhome.

But just because it's never happened yet doesn't mean it might not in the future ! - as long as I could see a case for it and a possibility. There has to be both in the first place.

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[Popeye]

If one gives it a little thought and if you regularly go past the New 'Stonhenge' car park site and spot just how many MoHo's are parked up on a daily basis, it would have added a tiny per-centage to the build costs to offer Water and waste and overnight facilities which could have easily been charged extra for; they could have taken the motor-homing community by storm in this country.

Wood Henge is another example except that attracts MoHo's wild-camping nearby anyway. If there was an Aire-de-service at reasonable cost I imaging this would discourage the freeloaders.

 

[Fletton]

The MCC wrote to all councils a few years ago (about the time I was involved with the Guisborough project) and sent them a DVD of what happens on the continent. Like all national initiatives, though, it was unable to show benefits to specific areas.

The most successful work was done in Northern Ireland by a small group (can't remember if they were connected to the MCC or not) but they succeeded because they were able to target individual authorities (and, I think, because of money available there but not in England, Scotland and Wales).

Where there has been success elsewhere is has been through the efforts of individuals, making specific cases to particular authorities. so "we" can have an effect if "we" make the case

Well as you may gather... I'm relatively new to Motorhoming .. Wheras I would hazzard a wild guess that you have been around for a while - and have a plethora of historical knowledge of the "ins and outs" of MH parking issues within the UK

In which case I'll take your word for it

It will, however, be intersting to see how many other MH owners are prepared to put in the commitment that you have/do

 

[tonyidle]

I've always regarded Aires as a place to overnight without leaving my chosen route - it has never occurred to me to base a holiday around them. So - France is brilliant in that major routes seem to have Aires scattered along them; the UK has the same facility on most if not all motorway service areas; major UK non-motorway routes have effectively non. The motorway service facilities are lacking a few facilities and generally poor separation between wagon / car / motorhome/caravan areas. Rather than new aires in entirely new locations I would like to see them set up as part of large car-parks or park'n'ride areas. And I'd like to see the motorway services overnight facilities brought up to a better standard.

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[Popeye]

Well although I'm living just outside Salisbury and I grew up and lived in the Salisbury area for most of my life the fact is that my property boundary is on the opposite side of the road to Wiltshire and in fact Salisbury District Council. I live 10 yards inside Hampshire and the New Forest District Council.

I have just gone on line and tried to make the point that in view of the height barriers in place in many of the car parks in and around Salisbury why could they not have a motor-home specific park and the reply I received was this.......

"The address you have entered falls outside the Wiltshire Council area. Try visiting one of our neighbouring authorities to find information about properties in their area."

They will now be receiving a letter from me, we'll see what they have to say then.

 

[Ambilkate]

Hi Graham is there a templates of a letter that we can copy and sign & send to our local council? We live in Shropshire

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Graham is there a templates of a letter that we can copy and sign & send to our local council? We live in Shropshire

until Graham comes back on line to reply...

he has a page with a Nightstop letter example.
http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/nstoplet.htm
http://www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/nstoplet.htm

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[Wildman]

What I would conclude is;
The Britstop facility is about as near as the UK is going to get regarding Aires ... Along with the pub stop data...
And tollerent LAs.

John

Britstops and any pub etc offering overnighting is not actually legal if there are more than three vans on site, as it then constitutes a caravan site and requires a specific licence. People do tend to forget that. Whereas an aire can easily be licenced and regulated by the LA. whilst most cl's and cs's are members only, the MCC sites and CFL's allow non members

 

[pappajohn]

I considered approaching Scarborough council........then realised if they didnt think of something themselves then it was ignored.
No glory in agreeing to somebody elses ideas.

 

[Lee Fryer]

whilst I would like to see aires in this country, I do think it will ever happen, due to the problems of travelers taken over any usable space and the inability of police and officials to be able to move them on quickly, in France if the travelers stop anywhere they should not the police move them on immediately as I have witnessed.
Lee

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[sdc77]

I have to admit I selected the last option. I have no interest in acting alone and approaching the council I would support others locally but it's just not france here is it so I'm resigned to the fact it's not going to happen. Not least because of the extortionate costs that have been published. Private Aires ... maybe they will work..

 

[stcyr]

I can't see the 'aire' idea working in a country which refuses to cater for the requirements of the lifeblood of the country (trucks).

 

[Robert Clark]

I can't see any cash strapped councils being able to justify spending money on Aires, when they are facing further budget cuts and still have many homeless families who are surely a higher priority

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[denisejoe]

We use the Canterbury P&R from time to time for weekends. However we don't holiday in the UK other than using CCC rallies. Now that Joe is about to retire we'll probably spend more time on the continent and less time in the UK. If there were aires throughout the UK perhaps we'd holiday here a bit more.

If Canterbury can use one of their P&Rs then I can't see why other LAs can't do the same.

Denise

 

[GJH]

Hi Graham is there a templates of a letter that we can copy and sign & send to our local council? We live in Shropshire

Here Kate.

I'm happy for anyone to take it as a starting point and customise it as they wish - and best of luck in achieving results.

EDIT - only just seen @scotjimland's post above, thanks Jim

 

[GJH]

I can't see any cash strapped councils being able to justify spending money on Aires, when they are facing further budget cuts and still have many homeless families who are surely a higher priority

That's why we need to show that there is an economic benefit (perhaps providing income, overall, to support other services)

We use the Canterbury P&R from time to time for weekends. However we don't holiday in the UK other than using CCC rallies. Now that Joe is about to retire we'll probably spend more time on the continent and less time in the UK. If there were aires throughout the UK perhaps we'd holiday here a bit more.

If Canterbury can use one of their P&Rs then I can't see why other LAs can't do the same.

Denise

Canterbury has its location as a USP and was able to design the facility in from the start as a result, rather than it being an add-on.

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