Parking in general

[TMFTM]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this so I apologise if it is in the wrong area.
Does anyone know if there is a website or App that is specifically designed to show where suitable short term parking is for Motorhomes within Towns and Cities?

To date I have found it a bit of trial and error finding suitable parking with no height restriction and allowing suitable space for larger vehicles.

I was in Torquay last week and found (by chance) an ideal Car Park not too far from the Town centre and the Seafront which was called Shedden Hill Car Park.

I used the Park & Ride in Dartmouth but had to give up in Paignton because I could find nothing suitable.

I just wondered if there was anything designed that could help to find the ideal Motorhome car park?

 

[ColinandDawn]

Hello everyone, @TMFTM

This is the best I have found....

www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/

Regards,

 

[JJ]

Hello everyone, @TMFTM

This is the best I have found....

www.motorhomeparking.co.uk/

Regards,

Compiled by our very own Funster GJH.


JJ

 

[GJH]

For the reasons explained on its home page, my web site now provides links to council (and other) home pages rather than their parking pages (basically, the addresses of the latter change too often that keeping them up to date became difficult).
Councils (and others who run car parks) are the people with the knowledge and far more publish information now than used to. In addition, they always publish contact details for anyone wishing to query what is/isn't posted.
It is normally possible, in most places, to find on-street parking.

 

[TCG]

If you had to give up in Paignton that was probably a good thing.. the place is a dump and the only good road is the one out

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[nicholsong]

For the reasons explained on its home page, my web site now provides links to council (and other) home pages rather than their parking pages (basically, the addresses of the latter change too often that keeping them up to date became difficult).
Councils (and others who run car parks) are the people with the knowledge and far more publish information now than used to. In addition, they always publish contact details for anyone wishing to query what is/isn't posted.
It is normally possible, in most places, to find on-street parking.

Graham

You have done a good job.

However, I find that Council staff are not always well-briefed. I was visiting Edinburgh and phoned the Council, was put through to their Parking Services. I asked if there were any restrictions on MHs at my chosen P+R incl. height barriers. The recipient of the call said he would have to check - so after 2 mins. I was told 'NO restrictions'.

We arrived at said P+R to find a barrier - GRRRRRR.

Fortunately there was an office block nearby and being a Sat the security guard agreed we could park - probably helped that he and my lady are Polish.

It is frustrating when one seeks info from the correct deptartment of the Council and it is wrong.

Must make your efforts difficult Graham.

Geoff

 

[GJH]

Graham

You have done a good job.

However, I find that Council staff are not always well-briefed. I was visiting Edinburgh and phoned the Council, was put through to their Parking Services. I asked if there were any restrictions on MHs at my chosen P+R incl. height barriers. The recipient of the call said he would have to check - so after 2 mins. I was told 'NO restrictions'.

We arrived at said P+R to find a barrier - GRRRRRR.

Fortunately there was an office block nearby and being a Sat the security guard agreed we could park - probably helped that he and my lady are Polish.

It is frustrating when one seeks info from the correct deptartment of the Council and it is wrong.

Must make your efforts difficult Graham.

Geoff

Thanks for your comments.

As regards Edinburgh, I can only assume the person you were speaking to was using outdated information as other P&R sites used to allow motorhomes at one time.
The problem Edinburgh council staff sometimes have is that some of the P&R sites are in different council areas so if another council makes a change there may be a delay in the information being communicated to Edinburgh staff.
You don't say when this happened. At the moment the Edinburgh Council web site states quite clearly "Motor home parking available at Wallyford Park and Ride only".

 

[PeteH]

Sadly, In an ideal world, Councils would be obliged to make provision for legally operated vehicles regardless of size. Try finding somewhere to take a tacho break in many of our towns. NOT easy!.

 

[TerryL]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Campercontact? It's not particularly brilliant for the UK but at least has some ideas.

Notice the interface has just been updated, seems a bit easier to use. Also now has the option to store data on SD card.

 

[jongood]

Sadly, In an ideal world, Councils would be obliged to make provision for legally operated vehicles regardless of size. Try finding somewhere to take a tacho break in many of our towns. NOT easy!.

Too right. And why close laybys because there are roadworks half a mile up the road.

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[GJH]

Try finding somewhere to take a tacho break in many of our towns. NOT easy!.

There again, neither is actually driving a vehicle through some of our older towns that easy
Exactly the reason why there should be transfer parks outside of town to keep most large vehicles out of unsuitable places

 

[nicholsong]

GJH

My Edinburgh experience was 4 years ago.

Geoff

 

[GJH]

GJH

My Edinburgh experience was 4 years ago.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff. I would guess it was a communication problem as mentioned then.
I don't remember all the details but recall that changes at a number of P&R sites were going on around that time.

 

[PeteH]

There again, neither is actually driving a vehicle through some of our older towns that easy
Exactly the reason why there should be transfer parks outside of town to keep most large vehicles out of unsuitable places

I can see that being a whole load of "fun". I can just imagine up to 40 or 50 Trucks all transferring goods to smaller (electric?) vehicles, who is to provide (and pay for) the manpower, fork trucks, et-al, the queues are bad enough at most Distribution Centres, If you have a timed delivery and they close the Motorway, you miss your "slot" you go to the back of the queue. Who will provide and pay for the "small" vehicles?. As with all this type of suggestion, the final bill will fall on the consumer (You and I). HGV drivers spend enough time juggling the Tach rules without that extra hassle.

 

[GJH]

the final bill will fall on the consumer (You and I).

Just as does the cost of repairing the damage to places that were never designed to cope with such large and heavy vehicles

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[PeteH]

Just as does the cost of repairing the damage to places that were never designed to cope with such large and heavy vehicles

That is a separate issue. But the fact remains, 90+% of goods in the UK are transported on Trucks, that, despite the best efforts of the green lobby, will continue for the foreseeable future. Changing it will increase costs to the electorate as a whole, and the Transport industry in particular (The cost of a "new" truck is horrendous). That is something that the Politico`s wish to avoid at all cost, because it can be reflected in election results. The bottom line ,as always, is money talks.

As for Aires, I like the idea, but it just won`t happen certainly in any measurable way. Pub stops are welcome, but I know of 2 that have stopped doing it, the reason given in both cases is that the "stoppers" where not using the Pub, even for a couple of drinks. We are those strange people that like eating out and trying new places, so to us it is an extension of our "holiday", but there are many who just like to "freeload" and who abuse the system.

Sad, but true.

 

[GJH]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Campercontact?

Possibly because of its inaccuracy?
They continue to show The Gare at Warrenby, Redcar, despite being told years ago that camping is banned.

 

[TerryL]

Possibly because of its inaccuracy?

With respect Graham that's somewhat of an exaggeration; with the thousands of entries there's bound to be the odd error. Certainly we've never found anything in error - perhaps they need advising again?

 

[joka250]

Possibly because of its inaccuracy?
They continue to show The Gare at Warrenby, Redcar, despite being told years ago that camping is banned.

I can't speak for Camper Contact in the U.K. but having purchased the off line app I lurched from one inaccurate entry to another across Europe this April. I can't believe it can be any different in U K.

 

[GJH]

With respect Graham that's somewhat of an exaggeration; with the thousands of entries there's bound to be the odd error. Certainly we've never found anything in error - perhaps they need advising again?

I told them several times, years ago, Terry. If they won't listen it's up to them.
I was only reminded today because of a Facebook thread highlighting the fact that the land owner had erected new signs pointing out that the road and surrounding land is subject to byelaws/restrictions.

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[GJH]

I can't speak for Camper Contact in the U.K. but having purchased the off line app I lurched from one inaccurate entry to another across Europe this April. I can't believe it can be any different in U K.

The trouble with sites like that (Search for Sites is another) is that they rely on contributions from users to a large extent.
I did the same when I first created my parking web site.
I then found that accuracy of contributions couldn't be relied on (e.g. just because somebody got away with camping doesn't mean that it is actually allowed) and that it is very difficult and time consuming to keep a check on whether or not changes have happened since the contribution was received.

 

[TMFTM]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Just a thought for the moderators of the forum. Would it be worthwhile creating a thread with sub threads for members to list places where they have been successful in finding suitable parking? The posts within the thread could be sub-divided into counties for example.

 

[GJH]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Just a thought for the moderators of the forum. Would it be worthwhile creating a thread with sub threads for members to list places where they have been successful in finding suitable parking? The posts within the thread could be sub-divided into counties for example.

The problem with that is the one of accuracy of information as mentioned in my previous post.

 

[TMFTM]

The problem with that is the one of accuracy of information as mentioned in my previous post.

Fair enough. I just thought the venues could be edited if the situation changed.

 

[GJH]

Fair enough. I just thought the venues could be edited if the situation changed.

Yes, they certainly could be - but it would depend on somebody providing the new information as soon as possible after the change happened, which is hit and miss unless a formal process is set up.

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[PeteH]

Just as a thought, How accurate is the (paid for) Britstops.?

 

[TMFTM]

Just as a thought, How accurate is the (paid for) Britstops.?

Does that include daily parking areas as well as stopovers?

 

[PeteH]

Does that include daily parking areas as well as stopovers?

Unfortunately, my knowledge of Britstops is virtually non existent beyond having seen them at shows. We largely use sites and CL or CS. (The main reason I still belong to both "clubs"). Adding a 3rd annual fee, to me, seems unnecessary. "Pub stopovers" fills gaps if I want a night halt on most occasions. And as a retired Truck driver, I am well versed in "laybys"!

 

[GJH]

Just as a thought, How accurate is the (paid for) Britstops.?

It depends what you mean by accuracy.
As the hosts register each year then as a list of those willing to allow camping it should be accurate.
However, given that many of the hosts are unlikely to abide by the restrictions placed on them by Para 2 of the First Schedule of the 1960 Act, as a list of places where camping is legal it is most probably highly inaccurate.

 

[PeteH]

It depends what you mean by accuracy.
As the hosts register each year then as a list of those willing to allow camping it should be accurate.
However, given that many of the hosts are unlikely to abide by the restrictions placed on them by Para 2 of the First Schedule of the 1960 Act, as a list of places where camping is legal it is most probably highly inaccurate.

Given the general tone of the Thread. I seriously doubt if either the Hosts or Users are particularly interested in being strictly in legal compliance. In some respects it is no different to me letting you park overnight on my driveway, for a "consideration", Ie. not really anyone else's business.

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