Most Anti Motorhome 'NO PARKING' sign ever?

[Dave and Ginny]

Hi all

I'm just curious to know what other members think about this sign.

It's on the seafront at Walton on the Naze in Essex, my mum still lives in the house I was brought up in over 50 years ago. She lives in one of the roads leading up to the sea front.

During the summer I visited her for the first time in our motorhome. Her drive is difficult to park in and there is a single yellow line outside her house restricting parking between 9am and 6pm during the summer, so I parked on the seafront. It has been free parking here for as long as I can remember.

I had hardly got out of the vehicle before a local walking her dog came up and threatened me with the police if I didn't move! After a load of crap about "how we don't contribute to the local community, set up our BBQ, make a mess", etc, I asked her how long she had lived here to which came the reply "10 years". I won't bother going into what I said next as I'm sure you can all use your imagination.

The sign is a curiosity to me; it clearly forbids just about anything but a car from parking on the seaward side of the road. However, would you take it that now we're into December, and when I visit my Mum, I could park on the opposite side of the road...yes you can see it coming....right outside her fffing house?

Cheers Dave

 

[Allanm]

Outside her house sounds the perfect place to park.

 

[ukbill]

find out where that woman lives and park outside her house

 

[icantremember]

I wonder what legal standing that sign has but just to be safe I would park on the single yellow line on the landward side of road which is obviously quite legal this time of year .... and if clear outside a particular house.

 

[GJH]

Not the most anti-motorhome sign, no. Similar signs (restricting several types of vehicle (most of them large)) appear in various places through the country.

There is a summer parking problem in the area so the restriction tries to ensure that the space available can take the most number of vehicles possible. The fact that the other restriction operates in summer only also reflects the seasonal nature of the problem.

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[scotjimland]

Just a small technicality, but Motor Caravans are not banned .. check your V5

If challenged by plod simply produce it ..

 

[GJH]

I wonder what legal standing that sign has but just to be safe I would park on the single yellow line on the landward side of road which is obviously quite legal this time of year .... and if clear outside a particular house.

The restrictions are legal, Brian. If anyone did want to check, though, a FoI request to Essex County Council could be made to obtain a copy of the TRO.

 

[GJH]

Just a small technicality, but Motor Caravans are not banned .. check your V5

If challenged by plod simply produce it ..

It's the wording in the TRO that matters, Jim, not the wording on the sign. I haven't seen this particular TRO but I expect it refers to definitions in legislation as that is the norm. Wording on signs tends to try to reflect the various terms used by the general public.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

Not the most anti-motorhome sign, no. Similar signs (restricting several types of vehicle (most of them large)) appear in various places through the country.

There is a summer parking problem in the area so the restriction tries to ensure that the space available can take the most number of vehicles possible. The fact that the other restriction operates in summer only also reflects the seasonal nature of the problem.

Graham, sorry but there is no summer parking problem. This was during the week and in August and there were plenty of spaces. There are also height restriction barriers on other nearby pay car parks. But what about during the winter when there are even more spaces? The nonsense would appear that I can park on the yellow line but not on the seaward side of the road. This is nothing to do with space, it's about moaners not wanting what they consider 'their view' obstructed.

 

[Snowbird]

I can understand your frustration when visiting your mother and not being able to park your motorhome. But what you must remember is that during the 50 years or so since you were born there, things have changed rather a lot. Fifty years ago, there would be few cars, if any on that road and the likelihood of seeing a motorhome anywhere in the UK would be slim. As a motorhomer of long standing myself, I would not be too pleased if I had bought a house overlooking the sea and all I could see was rows of motorhomes with all the paraphernalia that goes with them. The reason why so many councils are taking these measures is that many motorhomers think they can do as they please without a care for what others may think.

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[sdc77]

Just a small technicality, but Motor Caravans are not banned .. check your V5

If challenged by plod simply produce it ..

Parking was decriminalised ages ago and is enforced by the councils now.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

Snowbird, I could understand it if that were indeed the case. The fact is that this little seaside town used to be heaving with holidaymakers all summer long. You could not park on that seafront or any of the roads leading up to it during July and August. The poor old place is now a shadow of it's former glory days as a bustling little seaside resort just up the road from London. Signs like these are turning folk away, well if they are in a motorhome that is! It would not be so bad if there were alternative places to park.

 

[Snowbird]

Snowbird, I could understand it if that were indeed the case. The fact is that this little seaside town used to be heaving with holidaymakers all summer long. You could not park on that seafront or any of the roads leading up to it during July and August. The poor old place is now a shadow of it's former glory days as a bustling little seaside resort just up the road from London. Signs like these are turning folk away, well if they are in a motorhome that is! It would not be so bad if there were alternative places to park.

Fifty years ago, most seaside resorts were bustling, but times have changed, not always for the better I may add. When I think back to my childhood places like Rhyl, New Brighton, and Colwyn Bay were busy seaside towns, but now they are only a shadow of there former self. Can you imagine the road where your mother lives if there were no restrictions on motorhome parking, and the whole road full of motorhomes all summer, including parked in front of your mothers home. I dont think your mother would be too pleased about that after a day or two.

 

[GJH]

Graham, sorry but there is no summer parking problem. This was during the week and in August and there were plenty of spaces. There are also height restriction barriers on other nearby pay car parks. But what about during the winter when there are even more spaces? The nonsense would appear that I can park on the yellow line but not on the seaward side of the road. This is nothing to do with space, it's about moaners not wanting what they consider 'their view' obstructed.

Snowbird, I could understand it if that were indeed the case. The fact is that this little seaside town used to be heaving with holidaymakers all summer long. You could not park on that seafront or any of the roads leading up to it during July and August. The poor old place is now a shadow of it's former glory days as a bustling little seaside resort just up the road from London. Signs like these are turning folk away, well if they are in a motorhome that is! It would not be so bad if there were alternative places to park.

Perhaps the change over the years is the answer to why there are spaces, David. As I said earlier, I haven't seen this particular TRO but maybe it was put in places several years ago, when there was a problem, and simply still exists because it has never been changed. It may be worth contacting Essex CC and Tendring DC to ask that the restriction be removed to reflect current circumstances.

On the other hand, Snowbird may be right and there may be an element of residents objecting to the view being spoiled. Such objections are perfectly valid and we have to remember that local authorities often have the thankless task of finding a balance between competing interests.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

No Snowbird I wouldn't want that to happen and it's not going to either even without this silly restriction. A couple of miles away is Frinton on Sea. The entire sea front is at least a couple of miles long. The sea is on one side with a lovely large grassed area, houses flats etc on the other. There is free parking along it's entire length and no restrictions for motorhomes or anything else. I can assure you that it is not however full of motorhomes etc during the summer months. Dave

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[scotjimland]

Parking was decriminalised ages ago and is enforced by the councils now.

yes, well aware of that... referring to 'plod' was was merely a term of speech, a fictional police officer in the Noddy stories .. it could be any parking enforcement official..

 

[buttons]

Hi all

I'm just curious to know what other members think about this sign.

It's on the seafront at Walton on the Naze in Essex, my mum still lives in the house I was brought up in over 50 years ago. She lives in one of the roads leading up to the sea front.

During the summer I visited her for the first time in our motorhome. Her drive is difficult to park in and there is a single yellow line outside her house restricting parking between 9am and 6pm during the summer, so I parked on the seafront. It has been free parking here for as long as I can remember.
I had hardly got out of the vehicle before a local walking her dog came up and threatened me with the police if I didn't move! After a load of crap about "how we don't contribute to the local community, set up our BBQ, make a mess", etc, I asked her how long she had lived here to which came the reply "10 years". I won't bother going into what I said next as I'm sure you can all use your imagination.
The sign is a curiosity to me; it clearly forbids just about anything but a car from parking on the seaward side of the road. However, would you take it that now we're into December, and when I visit my Mum, I could park on the opposite side of the road...yes you can see it coming....right outside her fffing house?
Cheers Dave

I guess if you sit back and think how your mum and other neighbors would feel if they were unable to park outside their own property through selfish campers who don't contribute to the local community, yet set up BBQs, make a mess and keep you awake all night then the sign makes a bit more sense.