Motorhomes BANNED from Seafront Parking !! (1 Viewer)

[138go]

Zombie thread.

 

[wardj2010]

So here's the thing - sylvester1954 makes a valid observation - on more than one nice Sunday afternoon I and my family have been forced to paddle through a sea of grey waste. We pay silly council tax to live in this area; the mindless and irresponsible behaviour of the few spoils it for the many....sound familiar

 

[Norman Jones]

100% agree with the comments regarding council attitudes, but there is no earthly point in ranting amongst ourselves. However if we all wrote constructive proposal letters to Councils it might have a chance of attention. Councillor s really have no idea what a motorhome is. They see us as dirty gypsies.

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[Brains]

I see Broadstairs have put up signs along the sea front saying
"No parking of motorhomes 7pm-7am"
Traditionally parking motorhomes along that road has not been a problem, so I'd imagine the only reason they are doing it is because Walmer and Deal, 5 miles south have put up similar signs.

I'd presume most of Kent will be covered soon in 'no overnight parking' signs, as they want to ensure all the lorries (and motorhomes) stay in "Farrage's Garages" at Manston and the new one near Folkstone

 

[denisejoe]

I see Broadstairs have put up signs along the sea front saying
"No parking of motorhomes 7pm-7am"
Traditionally parking motorhomes along that road has not been a problem, so I'd imagine the only reason they are doing it is because Walmer and Deal, 5 miles south have put up similar signs.

I'd presume most of Kent will be covered soon in 'no overnight parking' signs, as they want to ensure all the lorries (and motorhomes) stay in "Farrage's Garages" at Manston and the new one near Folkstone

What's wrong with New Dover Road P&R? We often park there for a couple of days.

 

[Jaws]

This sounds exactly what we would like to find in any town, so we should be applauding Exmouth council not castigating them

It is rare that I am not with you Eddie, but in this case....
That 5.3m limit makes it all unpalatable for me..
I wold not expect vans like ours to be accommodated ( tag, 9+ mtrs ) but it needs to be at least 7.5mtrs to accommodate the majority of motorhomes

You are deeply involved in the game.. how many 5.3 mtr vans do you come across ?

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[Clipgate]

We live in insular island society, however as others have indicated vote with your wallet.
Regretfully it's not going to change anytime soon.

 

[nicholsong]

I see Broadstairs have put up signs along the sea front saying
"No parking of motorhomes 7pm-7am"
Traditionally parking motorhomes along that road has not been a problem, so I'd imagine the only reason they are doing it is because Walmer and Deal, 5 miles south have put up similar signs.

I'd presume most of Kent will be covered soon in 'no overnight parking' signs, as they want to ensure all the lorries (and motorhomes) stay in "Farrage's Garages" at Manston and the new one near Folkstone

Well if that is the wording in the RTO supporting that sign, unless that RTO specifies the definiton of 'motorhome', which I think it could not when approved by the Minister, as required before it becomes effective, then the description is inadequate to suport a prosecution and any fine should be successfully challenged.

Do not roll over to these imbeciles of local government, who cannot ditinguish in law between a 'motor caravan'(legal definition) and a motorhome, defined by nobody.

Geoff

 

[Brains]

What's wrong with New Dover Road P&R? We often park there for a couple of days.

It's very good, but it's 20 miles away and does not have a sea view

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[Brains]

Well if that is the wording in the RTO supporting that sign, unless that RTO specifies the definiton of 'motorhome', which I think it could not when approved by the Minister, as required before it becomes effective, then the description is inadequate to suport a prosecution and any fine should be successfully challenged.

Do not roll over to these imbeciles of local government, who cannot ditinguish in law between a 'motor caravan'(legal definition) and a motorhome, defined by nobody.

Geoff

You are correct;
It's "Motor Caravan"

 

[nicholsong]

You are correct;
It's "Motor Caravan"

View attachment 447512

Now check that the RTO is correct and that the proper procedure was followed for the Secretary of State to affirm it, within the 30 days allowed.

Some of these local authorities like to wield law, but do not comply with the law that authorises and controls them.

Geoff

 

[Dorwyn]

So what defines the definition of your vehicle for parking purposes. Is it the V5, PLG, Motor Caravan? Is a campervan still a Motor Caravan? Some self-convertors are having trouble getting their vans re-classed as motor caravan. Can they therefore park as a PLG, even though to most it is obviously a motor caravan. (Except the DVLO).

These parking definitions are irksome to me as my campervan is my only transport, I use it year-round and at least weekly for shopping. If I can fit, I don't see why I can't park. You have to stop and parknsomewhere.

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[Marmite]

Travellers / Full-timers / Motorhomers .... all the same to the general public.

Not all travellers are messy but some motorhomers are.

What this boils down to is bad manners and a failure to consider others.

 

[Pekepal]

I live at Taunton and regularly go to Exmouth taking our dog for a good run on the beach

The number of motorhomes parked overhanging the pavements, generators running, tables and chairs place "aggressively" to protect the space around/outside the motorhome, steps, chocks, parasols and yes a slime running to the gutter where the grey water has been trickling out for some days, water tanks, bikes, wet suits, surf boards, you name it its there

I have always owned a motorhome since I was 28 years old and I am now 56, I have travelled extensively throughout the UK and Europe, staying in campsites, Aires and wild camped

What I regularly see at Exmouth is many people taking the p155

I work on motorhomes for a living, I can tell at a glance who has parked for the afternoon to enjoy the view and who has been there for a few days and are marking their "spot"

No wonder people complain, at times it looks like a refugee camp. So instead of banning motorhomes altogether the Council are being amazingly considerate in my opinion, and doing exactly what so many on the forum complain that Local Councils "won't do"

This is what Exmouth Council are proposing from Easter 2018 after stopping motorhomes parking adjacent to the beach:-

To offer overnight camper van and motorhome parking in Exmouth for short stays of up to 3 nights as follows:

1. To offer up to 30 pitches for motorcaravans in our current Queens Drive Echelon car park (up to a maximum vehicle length of 5.3m to avoid overhang into the carriageway).

2. To offer up to 20 pitches for motorcaravans in Imperial Recreation Ground car park

3. To offer up to 20 pitches for motorcaravans in Maer Road car park.

4. To consider the feasibility of offering services including: drinking water, waste water disposal and sewage disposal (in one or more of our toilet blocks) and sufficient refuse and recycling facilities located close to the pitches

This sounds exactly what we would like to find in any town, so we should be applauding Exmouth council not castigating them

What a sensible, understanding and forward Looking council. This should really be encouraged.

 

[Digitalimager]

We live in East Devon and have been motorhomers for many years and living where we do have visited many of the coastal towns in the Southwest. The issue of parking has loomed it's ugly head on more than one occasion.
However, for many years parking at the eastern end of Exmouth's extensive sea front has been straight forward as there are hundreds of spaces facing the sea and therefore is a popular spot for motorhomes and campers alike, even following a price increase a few years ago, now around £10 a day, the same as cars.
If you know the area you will know the orientation of the spaces mean that there would often be an overhang of the pavement which is at least 15' wide, so of little or no consequence, and parked within the lines you take up no more room than a car.
However, compounding the commonly found attitude to motorhomes in the UK, the East Devon Council has seen fit to table a proposal to BAN motorhomes and campervan from parking on the seafront. They propose that spaces be provided elsewhere in carparks.
The UK is so far behind the continent in understanding the principle that visitors spend money and this demonstrates the peewit mentality these so called councillors are blessed with. A space is a space and when I am parked in my 7.5m motorhome on the seafront I actually take up no more room than a Smart car! But now I am not aloud to because I am a motorhome! You park there because of the view and the immediate proximity to the beach so will I still go if I am banished to the back end of a carpark looking at the wheelie bins, bit of a no brainer really.

It gets better ................ as 30 of the proposed spaces will have a size limit of 5.3m ! YES, you read that correctly 5.3m ! I rest my case ......... peewit mentality.

Follow this link to read more:

http://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/camper-vans-banned-exmouth-seafront-879672

I find this really quite amazing and fail to understand their thinking process that will actually result in a negative flow of visitors, myself included, for no good reason other than not liking motorhomes!

Pass this on if you have a useful platform, we, on the other hand, will be off to France or Spain or somewhere where we can park in thousands of towns, usually for nothing, stay 2 or 3 days and spend lots of euros in the local economy ........ not Exmouth, where the council have decided that their blue sky thinking will attract more visitors by banning motorhomes .............. nearly speechless but not quite!

Peewits, or lapwings, are beautiful birds with correspondingly small brains but don’t deserve to be compared to council employees who have much larger, but mostly redundant brains. Perhaps you mean ****wits!

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[Norman Jones]

Agree with comments, but you must realise that to qualify as a councillor a brain is not a requirement. Most are qualified by being a local born and bred who have spent their entire existence in the said borough and read the local news every week. They have no comprehension of the outside World and do not want to know about it, let alone visit it. Excitement is achieved by seeing their name mentioned in the local rag occasionally when they voted with their drinking mates.

 

[pandas]

Hi
The news report does talk of a proposed facility but I have lived in the area all my life and the council's thinking is seriously skewed so the facility will probably not be what you would expect.
I guess my point is, if I take no more space than a car then why an I being banned and the proposal includes camper vans, some people's only transport. It's draconian in the extreme

Picking up your point about not taking anymore space than a car; much easier for them to differentiate between a car and a Motorhome - ours is 2.3m wide therefore would take 11/4 bays. The issue is not about the space more about claiming the space for several days, about how some behave - grey waste empting cassettes in public toilets and I do not believe that those in Motorhomes put more into the economy than visitors in cars. Some think the population of the UK is the same as the 1950’s.

 

[JJ]

In my book, anyone who puts themselves up for election to the local council automatically proves to me that they are unsuitable for office...

JJ

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[joe and sue]

Therefore as i see it a panel van being used as family transport, but the same van converted to a campervan will be banned !!!!, surely that's discrimination of the highest order.
Another point, when we are away touring our MH is our sole form of transport, Sue is disabled and as such has a "Blue Badge" allowing us to park, for her convenience, almost anywhere, even on double yellows for up to 3 hours, I have writted to the council asking where we stand with this ruling, if upheld we will be taking them to court on grounds of discrimination against a disabled person.

 

[dipsie]

The last couple of visits, excluding the C & C Club THS, we have parked along the road between the kid’s play area and the new RNLI station with no problems, unless the area has been re-designated in the last couple of years.
I can’t remember if we paid for two parking spaces though.

North Devon are far more accommodating even allowing overnight parking for a small fee.
We stayed by the estuary in Bideford for a night in September 2019 and noticed in the morning that two of the seven m/homes there had left their grey water taps open, I remonstrated with one who told me to “ f—- o— “ and mind my own business. I wonder how long it will be before the council gets fed up with this attitude of a few inconsiderate idiots.

 

[Sapper520]

This week in our local paper...........

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[jumartoo]

The blame has to lie, firmly and squarely, with those that given an inch take a mile. These people take the pee in all aspects of life. They are seen everywhere, causing problems and causing everyone else to suffer.

There's no easy solution.

 

[Lenny HB]

In that article I noticed the council were saying they wanted to maximise revenue from on street parking. In France/Spain/Portugal you rarely have to pay for parking only in the larger towns, they like to encourage visitors, In the UK our councils like to drive them away.

 

[Sapper520]

I love living here, but the Council appear to want to fleece visitors for whatever they can get out of them.

Luckily, we can walk to anywhere we need to go.

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[Clive Mott]

Well. Most of you will know we are motorhomers and have been since 1972. But surely it cannot be right with our tall high riding position vehicles to park in the front row effectively putting a wall between the lowly car drivers and the view? Plus we can see over most cars.
Come on, be fair.
By the way we live at the seaside and see this uncaring behavour about once every couple of weeks or so. Come on Funsters!!

 

[2657]

I love living here, but the Council appear to want to fleece visitors for whatever they can get out of them.

Luckily, we can walk to anywhere we need to go.

The council 'fleeces' visitors, I wonder what they do with that money, perhaps they use it to pay for services and supplement the council tax revenue and government grants thus benefiting the locals.

 

[RobWid]

The last couple of visits, excluding the C & C Club THS, we have parked along the road between the kid’s play area and the new RNLI station with no problems, unless the area has been re-designated in the last couple of years.
I can’t remember if we paid for two parking spaces though.

North Devon are far more accommodating even allowing overnight parking for a small fee.
We stayed by the estuary in Bideford for a night in September 2019 and noticed in the morning that two of the seven m/homes there had left their grey water taps open, I remonstrated with one who told me to “ f—- o— “ and mind my own business. I wonder how long it will be before the council gets fed up with this attitude of a few inconsiderate idiots.

I agree fully about some people being inconsiderate in their behaviour but the response by various authorities is daft.

People who live in houses (some) fly tip and drop litter. We attempt to deal with the issue (waste disposal and littering) and don’t simply ban them from staying in houses.

The same should be true of motorhomes - address the issue not the accommodation type.

If waste disposal and litter are an issue firstly help by providing waste disposal points - as you often see on the continent - they are are simple and cheap. Provide litter bins - then there is nomexcuse

If staying for long periods is an issue then limit stays.

If parking high vehicles in front of cars is an issue arrange the spaces accordingly.

Then as a last resort prosecute those who abuse what’s offered.

So focus on the problem itself as we do in the rest of our lives rather than the vehicle type. Yes it’s hard but so is a lot of life.

lastly I know East Devon gets a lot of criticism but I can only say that as a recent resident of Exmouth they have been amazingly supportive in allowing use of the their car park overnight (parking not sleeping) to make life easier during the various lock downs and whilst I’ve been working for the Nightingale Hospital. Always pleasant and easy to communicate with and prompt in their responses.

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[RobWid]

The council 'fleeces' visitors, I wonder what they do with that money, perhaps they use it to pay for services and supplement the council tax revenue and government grants thus benefiting the locals.

Agree that parking has become one more secondary tax imposed on us all. We’re in the daft cycle where central
Government cuts and local government has to add it back in elsewhere.

The sad thing for me is that it’s becoming really hard to enjoy our natural world, whether beach or countryside, without paying for it. It’s become just another commercial opportunity.

Whether charging residents to enjoy experiencing where they live is a good idea or not is the real question.

I live within a few meters of the beach and don’t have a problem but many are not so fortunate.

 

[TonyEmm]

In that article I noticed the council were saying they wanted to maximise revenue from on street parking. In France/Spain/Portugal you rarely have to pay for parking only in the larger towns, they like to encourage visitors, In the UK our councils like to drive them away.

Wisbech in Cambridgeshire is one exception! There are no parking meters and no charges in council owned open air carparks.... They INVITE shoppers in!

 

[Bill and Tracey]

Maer road carpark. 10ish dedicated spaces for motorhomes. We usually stay for the maximum allowed 3 days. The van stays where it is for that time and I let other people park in front of us as the spaces are plenty long enough for 2 vans. We walk or use our scooters to travel to and from the town and it's a 30 second walk to the beach. Also the width of our wheelbase allows me to drive in through the out door of the carpark, so if we get there late we still have a space. New van end of March. Can't wait.

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