I recently wrote to Dover Council inquiring about the proposed ban on overnight parking on Marine Parade. My email and the council's reply are below. I suspect that the 'problems reported by residents' refer to the Beach at Walmer, rather than Marine Parade. As the matter is ipen to public consultation, it might be worth a few more Funsters pointing this out and letting the council know of their experiences on Marine Parade?
I own a motorhome, and travel frequently to the continent on the Dover/Calais route. I have always parked overnight on Marine Parade when catching a morning ferry, which enables us to have a meal and a few drinks in the town before settling down for the night. I was disturbed, therefore, to read the following report in your local paper:
AN OVERNIGHT ban is set to be enforced to prevent caravans from parking along Dover seafront.
A council report states the measure is in response to "concerns raised by residents and businesses" such as those featured on the Express' front page last month.
The ban would be enforced from 6pm to 6am seven days a week on caravans parking on Marine Parade and Waterloo Crescent.
The recommendation will be discussed at a Joint Transportation Board meeting in Whitfield tonight (Thursday) at 6pm.
But Gateway resident Robert Knibbs thinks the proposal is "a step forward but not ideal".
He said: "At the moment they don't really enforce the existing rules so for me it doesn't matter what law they pass if they are not going to enforce it. What I find distressing is that Dover Harbour Board and the council pay a lot of money to keep the area looking nice and yet they let it be turned into a campsite overnight.
"People have been using the garden areas as toilets, defecating in the entrance area, leaving black bin bags of litter in the street and playing loud music at night.
The idea that I, and the other motorhome users I have seen using Marine Parade as an overnight stop, would 'use the garden areas as toilets' and 'leave black bags of litter is the street'. would be offensive if it were not so obviously untrue.
I am writing to ask if the report is correct, and that I am no longer permitted to park on Marine Parade, thereby ensuring that I will put no more money whatsoever into Dover's economy.
Thank you for your email regarding Motorhome parking in Dover.
At its meeting on 11th September 2014, the Dover Joint Transportation Board took the decision to commence the process of introducing an overnight ban, from 6pm to 6am Monday to Sunday, on motor caravans parking on Marine Parade and Waterloo Crescent, Dover and The Beach, Walmer. This process will involve public consultation. At the same time, Parking Services have been directed to look into finding alternative provisions for motor caravans.
The relevant report can be viewed at http://moderngov.dover.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=124&MId=1672 The minutes of the meeting will also be published here in due course.
I own a motorhome, and travel frequently to the continent on the Dover/Calais route. I have always parked overnight on Marine Parade when catching a morning ferry, which enables us to have a meal and a few drinks in the town before settling down for the night. I was disturbed, therefore, to read the following report in your local paper:
AN OVERNIGHT ban is set to be enforced to prevent caravans from parking along Dover seafront.
A council report states the measure is in response to "concerns raised by residents and businesses" such as those featured on the Express' front page last month.
The ban would be enforced from 6pm to 6am seven days a week on caravans parking on Marine Parade and Waterloo Crescent.
The recommendation will be discussed at a Joint Transportation Board meeting in Whitfield tonight (Thursday) at 6pm.
But Gateway resident Robert Knibbs thinks the proposal is "a step forward but not ideal".
He said: "At the moment they don't really enforce the existing rules so for me it doesn't matter what law they pass if they are not going to enforce it. What I find distressing is that Dover Harbour Board and the council pay a lot of money to keep the area looking nice and yet they let it be turned into a campsite overnight.
"People have been using the garden areas as toilets, defecating in the entrance area, leaving black bin bags of litter in the street and playing loud music at night.
The idea that I, and the other motorhome users I have seen using Marine Parade as an overnight stop, would 'use the garden areas as toilets' and 'leave black bags of litter is the street'. would be offensive if it were not so obviously untrue.
I am writing to ask if the report is correct, and that I am no longer permitted to park on Marine Parade, thereby ensuring that I will put no more money whatsoever into Dover's economy.
Thank you for your email regarding Motorhome parking in Dover.
At its meeting on 11th September 2014, the Dover Joint Transportation Board took the decision to commence the process of introducing an overnight ban, from 6pm to 6am Monday to Sunday, on motor caravans parking on Marine Parade and Waterloo Crescent, Dover and The Beach, Walmer. This process will involve public consultation. At the same time, Parking Services have been directed to look into finding alternative provisions for motor caravans.
The relevant report can be viewed at http://moderngov.dover.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=124&MId=1672 The minutes of the meeting will also be published here in due course.