Worth 30 seconds of your time, Petition to Require service stations to provide motorhome waste and water facilities

[Jez1966]

Petition: Require service stations to provide motorhome waste and water facilities

We are calling on the Government to update guidance for Motorway Service Areas (MSAs), requiring they provide essential facilities for campervans and motorhomes: toilet (black waste), grey water disposal, and fresh water refill.

petition.parliament.uk

 

[bigtwin]

CAMC could do similar, £2 to empty bog and fill with water.

Yes, they COULD, but they NEVER WILL.

They are vehemently opposed to that notion.

Ian

 

[funflair]

Maybe they could add it as a free service for people that buy say a minimum of 50 litres of fuel

 

[eddie]

I expect with such a large handful of signatories, the Government will appoint a "Poo Czar" immediately

On a serious note, obviously a few thousand signing the petition won't make a jot of difference other than making some people feeling warm fuzzy for a few minutes.

But, even if the total reached 99,999 signatures I still wouldn't sign it to make the magic 100,000 figure

Why on earth should anyone expect a independent business have the hassle and costs of installing a chemical toilet disposal point and a fresh water facility, a facility only needed by those that don't want to, or can't be bothered to use the paid facilities offered by a campsite

I think that motorway services should be made to offer free beds and clean linen as I quite fancy a snooze but don't want to pay for a hotel!

 

[DandJ]

Maybe they could add it as a free service for people that buy say a minimum of 50 litres of fuel

Blimey...that'd make it £15 to drop your waste with motorway fuel being 30p a litre more than everywhere else.....

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[funflair]

Blimey...that'd make it £15 to drop your waste with motorway fuel being 30p a litre more than everywhere else.....

Seems fair we get somewhere to dump and refill and they get to sell some fuel that they might not have otherwise.

 

[Jonno1103]

Signed.
Just took the dog for his evening run up at the Harrogate showground where there is a large Swift motohome parked up where it says no overnight parking and they've dumped their grey waste all over the tarmac... This is literally next to the entrance to Harrogate campsite.

 

[Northernraider]

I'll bet if you posted this petition on a Facebook vanlife group you'd get 80% of people thinking it's a good idea ..

Honestly sometimes on this forum I think folks like to shoot themselves in the foot.

Really so very backwards compared to europe .

 

[funflair]

I'll bet if you posted this petition on a Facebook vanlife group you'd get 80% of people thinking it's a good idea ..

Honestly sometimes on this forum I think folks like to shoot themselves in the foot.

Really so very backwards compared to europe .

Yes I agree that we don't compare favourably with Europe but I don't think forcing any business to support our lifestyle is the way to progress matters, there needs to be the desire to provide that service so there must be something in it for them as well.

 

[dix229]

signed

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[VXman]

What next?

Require them by law to provide Laundry facilities, Childrens' Playgrounds, Amusement Arcades?

All for minority groups?

Ridiculous and selfish.

I shall not be signing.

I don't think there is much point in signing, it's very unlikely to happen however I struggle to understand why any motorhomer would NOT want provision like this.

Many French motorway service areas provide such services - why not the UK.?

 

[VXman]

Yes I agree that we don't compare favourably with Europe but I don't think forcing any business to support our lifestyle is the way to progress matters, there needs to be the desire to provide that service so there must be something in it for them as well.

To encourage motorhomers to pull in to a services and maybe buy something?

 

[Northernraider]

Yes I agree that we don't compare favourably with Europe but I don't think forcing any business to support our lifestyle is the way to progress matters, there needs to be the desire to provide that service so there must be something in it for them as well.

There is initiative there as they'd likely get some custom they wouldn't otherwise get. Waiting for councils to provide waste points will never happen that's for sure.

Not so much forcing but perhaps persuading is the way forward .

 

[Northernraider]

I am surprised at you Tam wanting a government to legislate for MH facilities to stop illegal dumping.

Do you also support the Greek government's ban on widcamping?

If a particular MSA wants to add any of those facilities, I am not against that, but I do not believe it should be compulsory under their licence to operate the site. If it is only applied rto MSAs there would not be many in Scotland, and none in Dorset and Norfolk, because they have no M/Ways.

I absolutely do not get the connection here.

2 completely different viewpoints in the one post .

You're asking why I'd support something beneficial to motorhomes, and if I'd support something against motorhomes. Doesn't make sense

 

[Northernraider]

I expect with such a large handful of signatories, the Government will appoint a "Poo Czar" immediately

On a serious note, obviously a few thousand signing the petition won't make a jot of difference other than making some people feeling warm fuzzy for a few minutes.

But, even if the total reached 99,999 signatures I still wouldn't sign it to make the magic 100,000 figure

Why on earth should anyone expect a independent business have the hassle and costs of installing a chemical toilet disposal point and a fresh water facility, a facility only needed by those that don't want to, or can't be bothered to use the paid facilities offered by a campsite

I think that motorway services should be made to offer free beds and clean linen as I quite fancy a snooze but don't want to pay for a hotel!

This campsite I'm working on , the cheapest pitch for a motorhome is £59 per night for a van and 2 adults.

It's no wonder folk don't want to use campsites .

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[funflair]

To encourage motorhomers to pull in to a services and maybe buy something?

Or maybe not, I guess that is where somebody will struggle to get it past the company "bean counters" how much would anybody pay to service ?

 

[Northernraider]

Yes, they COULD, but they NEVER WILL.

They are vehemently opposed to that notion.

Ian

Of course not because they are still under the misguided delusion that people will use their campsites if other options are removed. But in reality many including myself wouldn't. I'd give up motorhoming completely if campsites were the only option.

6 weeks working on one has only confirmed that for me lol. I honestly can't understand anyone with a motorhome wanting to stay on parks like this, tents and caravans I can understand.....mostly . But not a van ...
Which is probably why we don't get anywhere near as many vans as they do tents n caravans.

The scottish sites on the nc500 are all still badgering the Highland Council about their carpark scheme lol.

 

[eddie]

This campsite I'm working on , the cheapest pitch for a motorhome is £59 per night for a van and 2 adults.

It's no wonder folk don't want to use campsites .

As an ex campsite owner I know that the unreasonably high wages decent staff demand pushes rates up

 

[Northernraider]

As an ex campsite owner I know that the unreasonably high wages decent staff demand pushes rates up

All staff here on minimum wage. Despite everything on the park being very expensive. Its why they never get return staff.

and very few campsites seem to pay much more than minimum wage.

And what they expect staff to do for that wage is mostly ridiculous to be honest.

 

[dunnah01]

I won't be signing. It will just antagonise services owners who will pass on the word about moaning and entitled campervan owners which will not improve anything. The services will work for a few days before somebody breaks them and they will get taped off for the next 30 years

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[DandJ]

There are (apparently) 97 motorway services in the UK...unlike most of Europe, land really is a finite resource. You can imagine the backlash from thousands or millions of people when (after a petition) the 97 are basically forced to provide an area big enough for the bulk of motorhomes to be able to manoeuvre and then drop their waste and top up with water...an area that doesn't impact parking/deliveries/trucks and vans/free flow of traffic off and back on the motorway etc.
There are (according to the Gov) over 8500 caravan sites across the UK. Surely a way better thing to push for is basic access to sites for the sole paid purpose of dropping said waste?

https://valuationoffice.blog.gov.uk/2022/11/03/how-we-value-caravan-sites/

 

[The Wino]

There are (apparently) 97 motorway services in the UK...unlike most of Europe, land really is a finite resource. You can imagine the backlash from thousands or millions of people when (after a petition) the 97 are basically forced to provide an area big enough for the bulk of motorhomes to be able to manoeuvre and then drop their waste and top up with water...an area that doesn't impact parking/deliveries/trucks and vans/free flow of traffic off and back on the motorway etc.
There are (according to the Gov) over 8500 caravan sites across the UK. Surely a way better thing to push for is basic access to sites for the sole paid purpose of dropping said waste?

https://valuationoffice.blog.gov.uk/2022/11/03/how-we-value-caravan-sites/

Quite a few of those sites are probably statics only they are hardly going to be keen to put in waste facilities for motorhomes. It strikes me that the premise of the petition is that people who have bought motorhomes feel that someone else ought to be forced by law to provide facilities for them. That seems a very strange idea. Shouldn't people consider if there's a suitable network of disposal points if they want to use their motorhome off sites before buying one?

 

[funflair]

There are (apparently) 97 motorway services in the UK...unlike most of Europe, land really is a finite resource. You can imagine the backlash from thousands or millions of people when (after a petition) the 97 are basically forced to provide an area big enough for the bulk of motorhomes to be able to manoeuvre and then drop their waste and top up with water...an area that doesn't impact parking/deliveries/trucks and vans/free flow of traffic off and back on the motorway etc.
There are (according to the Gov) over 8500 caravan sites across the UK. Surely a way better thing to push for is basic access to sites for the sole paid purpose of dropping said waste?

https://valuationoffice.blog.gov.uk/2022/11/03/how-we-value-caravan-sites/

And they will have the proper facilities to deal with chemical waste, I am not sure a service station would want chemicals straight down their sewer, I see that the Camping and caravan Club say they have 49 sites where you can service for a fee.

 

[PlacidoD]

I'll bet if you posted this petition on a Facebook vanlife group you'd get 80% of people thinking it's a good idea ..

Honestly sometimes on this forum I think folks like to shoot themselves in the foot.

Really so very backwards compared to europe .

That tells me why I don't use Facebook!!

Sorry but this idea is urinating into the wind!! So many more things that want putting right in this world.

But worse this petition is counter-productive as it portrays the MoHo community as selfish, self-interested and entitled.

 

[Bailey58]

Oh that service stations did provide these facilities as many do in Norway which made touring a pleasure. I can't see a petition to make it compulsory would happen but many doing it on a voluntary basis would be welcome. Hardly a hanging offence for the OP suggesting it, quite the contrary.

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[enark]

Jeeso what's that rant in aid of?

There's a big big difference between putting in an extra drain and a metered tap for water when the facilities are already there . Many already do have laundry and children's playgrounds and quite a few motorway ones have arcades.

By all means shoot yourself in the foot by not signing but the rant is stupid and unnecessary.

Who is shooting themselves in the foot.

Raise this to government - yeah great idea - not.

Rachel Thieves will just say, bingo, loads of wealthy old people with MHs ……..tax tax tax.

DO NOT SIGN THIS PETITION

 

[nicholsong]

I absolutely do not get the connection here.

2 completely different viewpoints in the one post .

You're asking why I'd support something beneficial to motorhomes, and if I'd support something against motorhomes. Doesn't make sense

In both cases it would be the government making a law to force people to do something they do not want to do: in the Greece case it is to make wildcampers park on campsites; in the case of MSAs it is to make the operators build facilities that they have chosen not to build voluntarily.

 

[eddie]

All staff here on minimum wage. Despite everything on the park being very expensive. Its why they never get return staff.

and very few campsites seem to pay much more than minimum wage.

And what they expect staff to do for that wage is mostly ridiculous to be honest.

I was pulling your leg

 

[Northernraider]

But worse this petition is counter-productive as it portrays the MoHo community as selfish, self-interested and enentitled.

Lol reading this thread and many many others on here that would be a very good description

 

[eddie]

To be fair, if everyone one this thread who didn't sign, signed, it would take it from 619 signatures to about 630 so hardly significant

Personally, I'm currently traveling around France, as we all know many towns have dump facilities

The majority of them are either damaged or dirty (or a combination of both)

The only way around abuse that I can see would be a barrier in to an area, access only given on the production of a credit card and entering your registration number which would correspond to a camera

The whole area would have CCTV when you leave an image of the area is taken and the user is responsible for any damage, financially

But who's going to invest in that technology for a return of a couple of quid a visit?

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[funflair]

To be fair, if everyone one this thread who didn't sign, signed, it would take it from 619 signatures to about 630 so hardly significant

Personally, I'm currently traveling around France, as we all know many towns have dump facilities

The majority of them are either damaged or dirty (or a combination of both)

The only way around abuse that I can see would be a barrier in to an area, access only given on the production of a credit card and entering your registration number which would correspond to a camera

The whole area would have CCTV when you leave an image of the area is taken and the user is responsible for any damage, financially

But who's going to invest in that technology for a return of a couple of quid a visit?

You may we be right Eddie and you may also have noticed that there are getting to be more and more barrier controlled CampingCar Park sites that used to be either municipal sites or village aires, (I am talking about France) basically they take over the general running and maintenance and give funds back to the community, and yes their dump points are usually clean and working, and a couple of quid isn't even going to cover the clean and waste water cost.