Lincoln car parks

[Ivory55]

On look north local news this morning. The council is to employ private security firms to stop people camping over night in coastal car parks. I think some people were practically living there , only their self to blame.

 

[GJH]

It's a long running saga. Google Huttoft Car Terrace for plenty of reports.

Both Lincolnshire CC and East Lindsey DC are very helpful when it comes to providing information for daytime parking of motorhomes but the actions of a few have restricted both available places and chances of sympathetic ears when it comes to any suggestions for official stopovers.

 

[rosalan]

It does seem that councils miss out on initiative and enterprise. France on the other hand seem able to cash in on Motorhomers needs and find land to create parking Aires and make a profit. Everyone wins. In the UK there are Motorhomes with a need to stop, shops and Councils with a need for money yet unable to square this conundrum, Weymouth almost (almost) managed to get an Aire but sadly failed at the last meeting where Campsites thought they would lose money.
Why oh why do we always follow France and not take the lead.
Alan

 

[GJH]

It does seem that councils miss out on initiative and enterprise. France on the other hand seem able to cash in on Motorhomers needs and find land to create parking Aires and make a profit. Everyone wins.

France and the UK are different in many ways. Development of use of caravans and motorhomes is just one of them.

In the UK there are Motorhomes with a need to stop, shops and Councils with a need for money yet unable to square this conundrum,

1. Very few people are actually prepared to put the effort in to prove that need.
2. There are relatively few places where any real evidence can be demonstrated.

Weymouth almost (almost) managed to get an Aire but sadly failed at the last meeting where Campsites thought they would lose money.

Which simply illustrates that motorhome owners are only one of several competing interests. Councils have a duty to balance those competing interests. Having received objections the council could not simply go ahead willy nilly.

Why oh why do we always follow France and not take the lead.

See several posts on the EU

 

[mariner]

Free campers (loaders) are like ants, once one finds a new spot it goes back to the nest and passes on the news and the next thing you know the place is infested with them.
Lincolnshire has mile after mile of deserted Beaches and at certain points the local Council has spent local Council Tax payers money on small parking areas so that all can enjoy the beach away from the bustle of the resorts.
Free campers (loaders) have found the best ones and spend long weekends or more on them. Thus denying daily visitors, parking spots and leaving a mess for the council to clear up.
These places are for the pleasure of all and not for the selfish few, so I applaud the local council for their actions.

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[Sidney]

Free campers (loaders) are like ants, once one finds a new spot it goes back to the nest and passes on the news and the next thing you know the place is infested with them.
Lincolnshire has mile after mile of deserted Beaches and at certain points the local Council has spent local Council Tax payers money on small parking areas so that all can enjoy the beach away from the bustle of the resorts.
Free campers (loaders) have found the best ones and spend long weekends or more on them. Thus denying daily visitors, parking spots and leaving a mess for the council to clear up.
These places are for the pleasure of all and not for the selfish few, so I applaud the local council for their actions.

I think you may be on the wrong forum.

 

[mariner]

I think you may be on the wrong forum.

I don't think so!

I have no objection to "Wild Camping" in fact I've done it myself many times over the years and the only trace of my visit, that I leave, is the odd wheel mark.

What is "wild" about a car park, or a promenade?

 

[Highwayman1]

On look north local news this morning. The council is to employ private security firms to stop people camping over night in coastal car parks. I think some people were practically living there , only their self to blame.

Whilst I have only been a day tripper, this subject is one of my `pet bugbears` from Lincolnshire County and East Lindsey Councils. I have for many years travelled to Huttoft and Moggs Eye/Marsh Yard and enjoyed the beaches there. No hassle or vandalism from the MH community using the area just help given when I was asked and conversations enjoyed - that is until the Council decided to put up height barriers at both sites. These were repeatedly `torn down` by persons unknown.
Many years ago at Huttoft a parking attendant was employed there as you went in. No hassle, pay or go elsewhere. Then one day he wasn`t employed there anymore.
Years went by and the Council decided to spend lots of money erecting barriers that even people carriers with a large roofbox can`t get under ! This from the same council that every year has failed to defend Skegness carparks from the `travellers` that turn up (and fail to pay or clean up whilst occupying these carparks), and create headlines and `hand wringing` amongst Council officers.
Sorry but employing the private sector (at the taxpayers expense) to harass motorhome owners seems to be easier than contemplating employing someone to make money for using a very sparsely serviced area for the taxpayer. As for overnighters then that is a cost that could be charged before the barrier was closed at night (with an emergency contact number). As an aside to this the only trouble I know of at Moggs Eye/ Marsh Yard was a few years ago when an `illegal rave` took place there.
Sorry again but my cage has been rattled on this subject area as you may see. Yes those who flout the area have contributed to its downfall but we are still easy targets who can be targeted by councils without fear of our`community` invading en masse annually then leaving behind thousands of pounds worth of rubbish and excreta !
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without

 

[John & Joan]

East Lindsey Council (Skegness) have now erected height barriers at the car parks that were affected by the travellers. They say there are still places where it is possible to park a motorhome on street.

The last case of those taken to court for parking at Huttoft is to be heard on Thursday.

 

[grumps147]

It will be interesting to see what powers the parking enforcers will have. A lot of discussion on the news today about councils using new powers under new anti social behaviour legislation , see here .. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32109545

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[GJH]

East Lindsey Council (Skegness) have now erected height barriers at the car parks that were affected by the travellers. They say there are still places where it is possible to park a motorhome on street.

The last case of those taken to court for parking at Huttoft is to be heard on Thursday.

There are half a dozen car/coach parks in East Lindsay district (including one in Skegness) where motorhomes may be parked, in addition to on street parking.

The problems at Huttoft &c have been well documented in previous threads, including a report from a former member of witnessing somebody emptying a toilet cassette in the dunes.

 

[GJH]

It will be interesting to see what powers the parking enforcers will have. A lot of discussion on the news today about councils using new powers under new anti social behaviour legislation , see here .. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32109545

Other legislation is used for traffic/parking orders so whether the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act would be used (or could be used) is theoretical at the moment. That story seemed rather strange to me when I read it this morning. The very nature of legislation which is applied at a local, rather than national, level (in order to respond to specific local requirements) is that it results in differences between areas (not discrepancies).

 

[Sidney]

Feckless councils seem inept at making the right decisions regarding budgets. They often reducing their direct costs (salaries for road cleaning and car park attendants) and then pay significantly more to subcontractors to do the same job to a lower standard. It's "okay" because that's how they deal the cards - it doesn't come from the same budget and they report that they are making such great savings. Ultimately taxpayers foot the bill and nobody can be held to account if a council contractor pulls down the barrier because they need access to the beach and nobody knows who has the keys to the stupid height barrier.

Anyone feeling sorry for the council should look at how they spend taxpayers money.

I don't think that I am free loader if I stay in a spot in my motorhome that's just a stupid comment

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Posted something along these lines many times. GET involved,if you like an area,move there,join the local parish council and raise this subject. If you really love the area and don't want to move there,go on a site of your choice,or even buy a static.
Some "Covenents?",on new build sites state,NO..C/vans,M/homes....... SHEDS!!.. When everybody in the UK owns a m/home,then you may stand a chance. There was an interesting prog on the TV,featuring a mature lady and her c/van,she had slept in it overnight many years ago in Central london,Paris etc,when c/vans where rare,she saw the results of ever increasing numbers,parking in beauty spots and the resulting moves to provide "Sites" for the owners and so gained some control over what was becoming a problem.
We stared c/vanning in '73,asked an old mate if i needed to book a site up north. "No",he said,"The day i have to book a site is the day i will sell my c/van". Says it all
Finally, we have members on here who don't like a whole range of things airing their views on here,me being one of them,long may it continue,same as there are people who don't like m/homes and complain to the local council,guess they are winning.It is not just car park attendants that are being "Off hired".What you should be concerned about,is the "Off hireing" of LOLLIPOP Ladies.
Tea Bag.
PS. You could always,boycott the areas involved,i am sure it would not be long before some council would pay M/homers to stay?

 

[rosalan]

I do realise that this topic has been discussed many times on all forums and make no apologies for raising it again.
Why do Aires work in France?
If we would like Aires or their equivalent in the UK, we must keep this topic alive or nobody will do anything about it ever.
What on earth is wrong employing someone to collect money and act as a guardian for a prime site.... to actually make money hopefully.
Alternatively, again in France, there are sites where machines control gated Aires. To enter you must swipe a card, so no cash to steal.
Houses can be alarmed so I am sure vandalism could be limited by alarmed facilities.
I could go on but feel my text is wasted if I am the only one who cares.

Alan

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[GJH]

I do realise that this topic has been discussed many times on all forums and make no apologies for raising it again.
Why do Aires work in France?
If we would like Aires or their equivalent in the UK, we must keep this topic alive or nobody will do anything about it ever.
What on earth is wrong employing someone to collect money and act as a guardian for a prime site.... to actually make money hopefully.
Alternatively, again in France, there are sites where machines control gated Aires. To enter you must swipe a card, so no cash to steal.
Houses can be alarmed so I am sure vandalism could be limited by alarmed facilities.
I could go on but feel my text is wasted if I am the only one who cares.

Alan

There's nothing wrong with employing someone to collect money &c but actually making money is a different matter. 24 hour facilities require 24 hour management, whether that be people, alarms or whatever. Places like Huttoft are fairly remote so that means some sort of hut or other accommodation & facilities for the employees, which costs money. Without real evidence that sufficient revenue could be generated to cover the expense, councils are almost bound to err on the side of caution.
My thoughts are Here. Also a letter template Here.
If anyone can use those as a basis for persuading a council to open facilities that's fine. If anyone can prove me wrong and persuade a council to open facilities using other methods then also fine. The anti-social behaviour witnessed at Huttoft &c, though, will certainly not work.

 

[mariner]

I coined the freeloaders because that's what some Motorhomers seem to be. Even in France they begrudge having to pay a nominal fee for the pleasure of parking with a service point. Arriving late or leaving early to avoid paying.

I always thought that wild camping was about being as near to nature as you can get in a motorhome and in particular where there are no campsites.

Parking and living in a public car park or on some promenade isn't wild camping, it's avoiding having to pay some one.

A few years ago it was someone in a beat up old camper van parking down on the beach because that is all they could afford, but we now see Motohomes worth many thousands of pounds parked up for weeks on car parks, waste ground and various other places in towns and cities, especially in Spain, where I wouldn't even park my car.

All because, they are getting something for free !!!!!!

 

[abforfun]

Mmmm here we go again. We have a good friend that lives near Huttoft so we have visited that place several times over the last few years.
We have seen moterhomes parked up one time there were 15 most we hav seen, most had gone by monday maybe some stayed longer
we don't know.Never seen the car park full, last 2 times no motorhome but plenty of boy racers with there music on and the odd druggie. How do i know cause i stood on a needle.

 

[magicsurfbus]

Having endured a number of childhood trips from Leicester to Skeggie, Huttoft etc back in the 1960s I find it hard to conceive why anyone in their right mind would want to park on that bit of the East coast, never mind stop there for days on end.

If it means they're not spoiling the view on the country's West coast then leave them be