Article on scottish council carpark scheme

[Just smiffy]

I don’t camp, I just want to park my vehicle like every other vehicle does….

 

[TinaLes]

I like to think that the likes of CAMPRA are doing their best to persuade local councils to provide overnight parking with or without fill & empty facilities, priced accordingly. Thanks to regular vlogs from Cameron McNeish, he explains the problems of touring Scotland present day, and the need for all campervans to be responsible respecting the places they visit, along with financially supporting any efforts made by councils, forestry commissions etc in providing safe overnight Aires.
Aires are increasing slowly in numbers as the need for them has never been so apparent, some are priced at £10 per night, whilst others are more expensive almost charging Camp Site prices if you opt for EHU hook up.
I am surprised that MORE farmers, especially arround the main popular routes, have not seen the lucrative opportunity of opening a small CL or Aire with park ups limited to 5 vans, as many have been offering B&B facilities for many years which are harder to run & manage.
It would be so much easier to tour Scotland knowing that we have an increasing number of options priced accordingly, so we can be sure that we will have somewhere safe to stay, with basic facilities, and not upset the locals, however the latter may be impossible to achieve completely.
Here is a typical (there are many) Cameron McNeish camping Aire info vlog below, he is a great guy, much respected in the Scottish Tourism & Press industry, and its obvious why.
LES

 

[cyberyacht]

I'm currently touring D&G. Kirkcudbright has a good aire scheme at the local swimming pool, if a little pricey at £15 but a good location. Ayr has a 'minimal facs' scheme on the seafront for £10 for up to 3 nights. Carlisle just over the border has a overnight parking scheme for £4. Other places are quite 'anti' with "No overnight parking". Their loss as the local community loses trade.

 

[autorouter]

Other places are quite 'anti' with "No overnight parking". Their loss as the local community loses trade.

Their loss is worse than that. It means that if someone wants to stay the night at low cost, they would probably go for an AirBnB. Bought by someone just for that purpose, putting up prices and pricing locals out of their area. A motorhome requires a flat patch of ground, with a common service point for waste disposal and fresh water. Nothing more. Perhaps a low amps hookup like the CCP aires. No effect on the housing market. But still spending money in local cafes, visitor attractions etc. and bringing money into the area.

 

[CWH]

'Locals' steaming about this scheme makes me laugh. The prime mover for its introduction was 'locals' complaining that motorhomers were exempt from the proposed tourist tax (it being impossible to charge per bed per night when on the move) while TT was to be introduced in hotels, B&Bs, and on campsites - actually it's called Visitor Levy and it's not passed through parliament yet and if it does, will allow LAs to impose the levy. This MH scheme is for Highland only, and is intended to test the water for a 'levelling-up' of Visitor Levy to include MH in the equation.
For your £40 for the week you get 10pm to 8am parking at a few specific car parks (if there's space) that would otherwise cost £10 per night (usual hourly rate either side of that), and free showers at Highland leisure centres, normally £4.45 or £2.70 for wrinklies. It's just a pilot volunteer scheme atm and if its used well, should lead to a more extensive network of available parking spots.

The FLS scheme (Forestry) had to be cut back due to abuse, with over-crowding, dumping of all types of waste, and inappropriate vehicles (eg cars with no facilities). This led to some places being removed from the scheme, and others introducing charges to pay for clean-ups and for rangers.

Let's hope that we (human race) can do better with this one.

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[Northernraider]

I like to think that the likes of CAMPRA are doing their best to persuade local councils to provide overnight parking with or without fill & empty facilities, priced accordingly. Thanks to regular vlogs from Cameron McNeish, he explains the problems of touring Scotland present day, and the need for all campervans to be responsible respecting the places they visit, along with financially supporting any efforts made by councils, forestry commissions etc in providing safe overnight Aires.
Aires are increasing slowly in numbers as the need for them has never been so apparent, some are priced at £10 per night, whilst others are more expensive almost charging Camp Site prices if you opt for EHU hook up.
I am surprised that MORE farmers, especially arround the main popular routes, have not seen the lucrative opportunity of opening a small CL or Aire with park ups limited to 5 vans, as many have been offering B&B facilities for many years which are harder to run & manage.
It would be so much easier to tour Scotland knowing that we have an increasing number of options priced accordingly, so we can be sure that we will have somewhere safe to stay, with basic facilities, and not upset the locals, however the latter may be impossible to achieve completely.
Here is a typical (there are many) Cameron McNeish camping Aire info vlog below, he is a great guy, much respected in the Scottish Tourism & Press industry, and its obvious why.
LES

Campra have added to the problem though by suggesting payments of £10-15 for a carpark with no services .

I for one will never pay this as its ridiculous in comparison to Europe.

 

[Stoosal]

Local councillors don’t want motorhomes or aires. They want tents and caravans that must use local campsites to appease local businesses and to Collect potential visitor levy’s, and locals that don’t want car parks over run with parked up motorhomes.
The comments in some posts justify the demand but it’s been done in such a half hearted manner it’s satisfying nobody.
The forestry had a great scheme but as usual it’s been abused leading to some locations being withdrawn. It perhaps needs more investment at government level to succeed, along with better provision for service areas for drivers etc, but I doubt that likely to happen. Local businesses such as hotels and b and b’s will state harm to business and local councils react and use it as a way to avoid investment. They barely have money to provide compulsory services so the idea of spending on ‘rich’ motor homers is a non starter with most locals.

 

[calbret]

'Locals' steaming about this scheme makes me laugh. The prime mover for its introduction was 'locals' complaining that motorhomers were exempt from the proposed tourist tax (it being impossible to charge per bed per night when on the move) while TT was to be introduced in hotels, B&Bs, and on campsites - actually it's called Visitor Levy and it's not passed through parliament yet and if it does, will allow LAs to impose the levy. This MH scheme is for Highland only, and is intended to test the water for a 'levelling-up' of Visitor Levy to include MH in the equation.
For your £40 for the week you get 10pm to 8am parking at a few specific car parks (if there's space) that would otherwise cost £10 per night (usual hourly rate either side of that), and free showers at Highland leisure centres, normally £4.45 or £2.70 for wrinklies. It's just a pilot volunteer scheme atm and if its used well, should lead to a more extensive network of available parking spots.

The FLS scheme (Forestry) had to be cut back due to abuse, with over-crowding, dumping of all types of waste, and inappropriate vehicles (eg cars with no facilities). This led to some places being removed from the scheme, and others introducing charges to pay for clean-ups and for rangers.

Let's hope that we (human race) can do better with this one.

with the Spanish anti tourist sentiment at the moment surely this is the prime time to capitalise on a viable infrastructure to encourage more incoming camper tourists to the whole of the UK

 

[Northernraider]

with the Spanish anti tourist sentiment at the moment surely this is the prime time to capitalise on a viable infrastructure to encourage more incoming camper tourists to the whole of the UK

I actually pity anyone from Europe coming to.the UK with a motorhome. Anyone who's toured Europe knows how easy it is to find parkups , water , dump points etc etc . In the UK it's really limited and if they are used to being able to park in a carpark free and suddenly faced with crabit inbred highlanders complaining it must be a nightmare. The sites are about twice to 3 times the price. The few aires are similar and offer no facilities. And when you consider once they're in the UK there's nowhere for them to go but back to France they get a raw deal. I've gone from telling folk I meet abroad that they should visit Scotland to just not bothering as they won't enjoy it. Weather isn't guaranteed , the scenery while stunning can be found in other European countries .

And I'm Scottish. It actually shames me to have to say that nowadays as I used to think the Highlands were hard to beat. But they're not.


Edit . I don't mean I'm ashamed to be Scottish, that'll never happen. But I'm ashamed of the attitude of the Highlands locals and generally UK wide locals towards campers.

 

[jannyman]

Edit . I don't mean I'm ashamed to be Scottish, that'll never happen. But I'm ashamed of the attitude of the Highlands locals and generally UK wide locals towards campers.

Are there any indigenous Highlanders left then Tam? Mostly incomers - perhaps with a Nimbyish attitude making the most noise??

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[Northernraider]

Are there any indigenous Highlanders left then Tam? Mostly incomers - perhaps with a Nimbyish attitude making the most noise??

Who knows but I'm sick o there greetin

 

[Ravelin]

Probably very small percentage greetin, it's often just truly woeful reporting of the issues. Makes a much better headline, and story, to find the most vocal and extreme 'local' to quote. Pure click bait, and it works.

Happens on other issues too, and from so called "respectable" news outlets. Check this out for example, and the quote from one parent, and the only parent quoted.

Hastings school complains over coach driver’s expletive-filled rant

Footage appears to show the coach driver swearing at the pupils while on a trip to London.

www.bbc.co.uk

"The teachers' job is to keep our children safe and to manage them on the coach,” she said.

"And on this occasion, they failed our children.

“I don’t know if I can keep my children at the school because I don’t know if I can trust them to keep them safe.”

What happened was wrong, but what were the teachers present supposed to do? I bet her children hear similar language from thier fellow pupils every day too.

 

[Northernraider]

Probably very small percentage greetin, it's often just truly woeful reporting of the issues. Makes a much better headline, and story, to find the most vocal and extreme 'local' to quote. Pure click bait, and it works.

Happens on other issues too, and from so called "respectable" news outlets. Check this out for example, and the quote from one parent, and the only parent quoted.

Hastings school complains over coach driver’s expletive-filled rant

Footage appears to show the coach driver swearing at the pupils while on a trip to London.

www.bbc.co.uk

"The teachers' job is to keep our children safe and to manage them on the coach,” she said.

"And on this occasion, they failed our children.

“I don’t know if I can keep my children at the school because I don’t know if I can trust them to keep them safe.”

What happened was wrong, but what were the teachers present supposed to do? I bet her children hear similar language from thier fellow pupils every day too.

Yeah but check out the nc500 Facebook page. More than a few on that

 

[Ravelin]

Yeah but check out the nc500 Facebook page. More than a few on that

Facebook just makes it easier for lazy journalists to find the most extreme 'local' to quote. Thankfully Facebook doesn't represent a true picture of the world, or if it does then we truly are f'ed as a species.

 

[BusyBuilder]

What ever you all think about the Highlands and tourists, you can either come, or not. There are still plenty of visitors on ships, cars buses, caravans and motorhomes.
If you don't come then don't moan about it. But has anyone on here, really had or seen any locals moaning to them and not wanting visitors ?????????

Personally, I'm fed up of seeing these posts on here.

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[Northernraider]

What ever you all think about the Highlands and tourists, you can either come, or not. There are still plenty of visitors on ships, cars buses, caravans and motorhomes.
If you don't come then don't moan about it. But has anyone on here, really had or seen any locals moaning to them and not wanting visitors ?????????

Personally, I'm fed up of seeing these posts on here.

No one gives a flying duck about cruise ships , cars, buses or caravans. THIS is a motorhome forum and it's the anti campervan and motorhome sentiment that's been discussed here. IF you're attempting to suggest that all these articles not just by the Scottish sun but many other publications , not to mention the countless videos etc on youtube and Instagram and of course the Facebook page that has locals posting campers and motorhomes daily complaining about everything from someone having their blinds closed on a tesco carpark to claims of black waste being dumped are mere fabrications then I think you need to have a word with yourself.


I created this post because it IS a problem and it's getting more and more attention paid to it.

As for people having people moan at them yes , not personally as I've not bothered with the Highlands since 2016 because there were issues even back then but I've got friends and family who have encountered animosity.

The letters of complaint from 30 campsites to Highland Council asking them to rethink the motorhome overnight scheme is also true .

So if you're sick of threads like this might I suggest you simply don't read them because burying your head In the sand and attempting to white Knight for the Highlands doesn't really help anything.

 

[Northernraider]

Probably very small percentage greetin, it's often just truly woeful reporting of the issues. Makes a much better headline, and story, to find the most vocal and extreme 'local' to quote. Pure click bait, and it works.

Happens on other issues too, and from so called "respectable" news outlets. Check this out for example, and the quote from one parent, and the only parent quoted.

Hastings school complains over coach driver’s expletive-filled rant

Footage appears to show the coach driver swearing at the pupils while on a trip to London.

www.bbc.co.uk

"The teachers' job is to keep our children safe and to manage them on the coach,” she said.

"And on this occasion, they failed our children.

“I don’t know if I can keep my children at the school because I don’t know if I can trust them to keep them safe.”

What happened was wrong, but what were the teachers present supposed to do? I bet her children hear similar language from thier fellow pupils every day too.

In that coach incident if I was the driver I'd have pulled over and told the teachers on board to get all the little darlings off the coach. The teachers obviously useless at keeping the kids under control . Why are they on the bus with them if not to supervise them?

But no blame the driver that is responsible for the bus .

 

[Ravelin]

In that coach incident if I was the driver I'd have pulled over and told the teachers on board to get all the little darlings off the coach. The teachers obviously useless at keeping the kids under control . Why are they on the bus with them if not to supervise them?

But no blame the driver that is responsible for the bus .

With the proviso that the reporting is awful, and obviously nothing to do with the original thread theme, but in that bus incident.... School blames bus driver... Parent blames teachers... No one blames the kids, who, let's be honest, must have been up to something to illicit the rant from the bus driver.

 

[The Wino]

I agree wholeheartedly BUT my concern is these campsites put pressure on and the result is the council backtracks. It happened before with the forestry commission.

It annoys me that these so called journalists don't ask any of the people in the motorhomes their opinions.

The Scottish sun has an article almost daily with some big drama on the nc500 and continually quotes locals opinions but never gives the other side.

And this article does much the same .

When was the last time you saw balanced articles about anything in the press they like to create a feeling of hate against any group apart from the demographic of their readers.

 

[The Wino]

In that coach incident if I was the driver I'd have pulled over and told the teachers on board to get all the little darlings off the coach. The teachers obviously useless at keeping the kids under control . Why are they on the bus with them if not to supervise them?

But no blame the driver that is responsible for the bus .

I think if the bus driver had pulled over and said to the teachers that the trip would only continue once they controlled the kids it would have been a lot better for everyone and probably have never made the news.

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[Northernraider]

I think if the bus driver had pulled over and said to the teachers that the trip would only continue once they controlled the kids it would have been a lot better for everyone and probably have never made the news.

He probably did ..and when they shrugged and said something like " kids will be kids what can you do" he then took matters in to his own hands.

If the teachers normally had those kids under control they wouldn't have been behaving how they were. That wasn't the first time I imagine

 

[The Wino]

He probably did ..and when they shrugged and said something like " kids will be kids what can you do" he then took matters in to his own hands.

If the teachers normally had those kids under control they wouldn't have been behaving how they were. That wasn't the first time I imagine

I don't think swearing at them actually acheived anything other than the kids feeling they did a good job winding him up and him getting the sack obviously not cut out for dealing with people sensibly. I do wonder what the teachers were being paid to do though I hope they are getting assessed

 

[Northernraider]

I don't think swearing at them actually acheived anything other than the kids feeling they did a good job winding him up and him getting the sack obviously not cut out for dealing with people sensibly. I do wonder what the teachers were being paid to do though I hope they are getting assessed

I wouldn't be surprised if he resigned the day it happened rather than being sacked. I'm not surprised at him swearing.. the threatening to punch them was ott , but then no one knows what took place before they started recording. I never heard any of the teachers attempting to intervene though. Everyone of them should be reprimanded as they were not doing their job.

Teenagers are little shits and are never as innocent as made out .

 

[BrochMike]

and are never as innocent as made out ...

... by their poor, hard-done-by, must-tell-the-papers parents.

 

[Northernraider]

... by their poor, hard-done-by, must-tell-the-papers parents.

Yes exactly .

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[hja]

I'm currently touring D&G. Kirkcudbright has a good aire scheme at the local swimming pool, if a little pricey at £15 but a good location. Ayr has a 'minimal facs' scheme on the seafront for £10 for up to 3 nights. Carlisle just over the border has an overnight parking scheme for £4. Other places are quite 'anti' with "No overnight parking". Their loss as the local community loses trade.

We have found quite a few aire type stops in d & g, eg Gretna, Newton Stewart, Caerlaverock, and a couple on the peninsula at the end.

 

[cyberyacht]

I found the natives generally very welcoming, using five ad hoc park- ups whilst there. More 'proper' aires would always be welcome when one has been used to the extensive availability abroad.

 

[Brian Thompson]

I like to think that the likes of CAMPRA are doing their best to persuade local councils to provide overnight parking with or without fill & empty facilities, priced accordingly. Thanks to regular vlogs from Cameron McNeish, he explains the problems of touring Scotland present day, and the need for all campervans to be responsible respecting the places they visit, along with financially supporting any efforts made by councils, forestry commissions etc in providing safe overnight Aires.
Aires are increasing slowly in numbers as the need for them has never been so apparent, some are priced at £10 per night, whilst others are more expensive almost charging Camp Site prices if you opt for EHU hook up.
I am surprised that MORE farmers, especially arround the main popular routes, have not seen the lucrative opportunity of opening a small CL or Aire with park ups limited to 5 vans, as many have been offering B&B facilities for many years which are harder to run & manage.
It would be so much easier to tour Scotland knowing that we have an increasing number of options priced accordingly, so we can be sure that we will have somewhere safe to stay, with basic facilities, and not upset the locals, however the latter may be impossible to achieve completely.
Here is a typical (there are many) Cameron McNeish camping Aire info vlog below, he is a great guy, much respected in the Scottish Tourism & Press industry, and its obvious why.
LES

I think the biggest obstacle is the disposal of toilet waste. Requires monitoring , seemingly impossible to idiot proof, and costs to install and manage .