Motorhomes BANNED from Seafront Parking !! (1 Viewer)

[2657]

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.

It is a dilema for all popular holiday/leisure locations, uncontrolled access would be chaotic. What has been happening in popular locations in Spain and Portugal is a prime example.

 

[2657]

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

I don't know Wisbech, is it a tourist location.
As I see it the problem in many holiday/leisure destinations is the space taken up by motorhomes in prime locations.
The average motorhome will contain 2 people, has it's own cooking facilities and is unlikely to put as much revenue into the local economy as a car with a family in it.
I am aware that many motorhomers will eat out etc, but many don't!
Why pay £2 or £3 for a tea or coffee when you have the facilities in your van.

 

[Trev45]

I don't know Wisbech, is it a tourist location.
As I see it the problem in many holiday/leisure destinations is the space taken up by motorhomes in prime locations.
The average motorhome will contain 2 people, has it's own cooking facilities and is unlikely to put as much revenue into the local economy as a car with a family in it.
I am aware that many motorhomers will eat out etc, but many don't!
Why pay £2 or £3 for a tea or coffee when you have the facilities in your van.

Wisbech has attracted people that live in caravans for years . It is a long walk to the beach unfortunately.

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[EzeeRider]

I don't know Wisbech, is it a tourist location.
As I see it the problem in many holiday/leisure destinations is the space taken up by motorhomes in prime locations.
The average motorhome will contain 2 people, has it's own cooking facilities and is unlikely to put as much revenue into the local economy as a car with a family in it.
I am aware that many motorhomers will eat out etc, but many don't!
Why pay £2 or £3 for a tea or coffee when you have the facilities in your van.

You know that for sure do you? Recent surveys put the average spend of vanners between £50 to £60 per day. Granted some will spend very little but others will spend much more. I much prefer my coffees from a nice outside cafe any day and watch life go by for a bit. If councils make it difficult to park and don't want my few bob I simply go elsewhere, in the extreme across the Channel where we are always welcome.

 

[RobWid]

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

I’d add Swaffham in Norfolk where there are ticket machines to limit stays but free of charge. So achieves the purpose without costing visitors who after all are often local and simply want access to their own town.

 

[2657]

You know that forro sure do you? Recent surveys put the average spend of vanners between £50 to £60 per day. Granted some will spend very little but others will spend much more. I much prefer my coffees from a nice outside cafe any day and watch life go by for a bit. If councils make it difficult to park and don't want my few bob I simply go elsewhere, in the extreme across the Channel where we are always welcome.

Did you miss the bit where I said " I am aware that many motorhomers will eat out etc but many don't"
You are of course free to spend your money where you choose, however you may not be quite as welcome as you think in many European destinations if you park up in unauthorised locations.

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[RobWid]

It is a dilema for all popular holiday/leisure locations, uncontrolled access would be chaotic. What has been happening in popular locations in Spain and Portugal is a prime example.

Agreed about uncontrolled access to popular areas - just suggest that responses need to be sensible and sensitive to needs.

Keeping to the motorhome theme I’d also suggest that there is also the assumption that all these owners are visitors and not locals and for many their only fof transport.

 

[joe and sue]

What gets me is that a family can use a transit for example as daily transport can park it quite legally, but the same vehicle converted to a campervan will not be allowed or ticketed if they do, discrimination??

 

[2657]

I’d add Swaffham in Norfolk where there are ticket machines to limit stays but free of charge. So achieves the purpose without costing visitors who after all are often local and simply want access to their own town.

That is also the situation in the prime tourist location of Rochdale where they are desperate to get visitors/shoppers into the town.

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[2657]

What gets me is that a family can use a transit for example as daily transport can park it quite legally, but the same vehicle converted to a campervan will not be allowed or ticketed if they do, discrimination??

That would depend on the situation, a transit size van will not fit in any standard parking bay and would be liable to ticketing.

 

[Wyvern]

I know Exmouth extremely well having been borne and bought up in Lympstone just up the road. Most of my family still live around the area and pre COVID would visit it often.

I know the seafront area very well with our kids having spent many happy hours on the beach.

last summer (ok, not a normal year) there were many motorhomes parked stern to the pavement...people with chairs out the back across the pavement and a grey water river running down the gutter and on my early morning walk with the dog, I saw at least 3 people emptying black water into the roadside drain.

The place resembled a travellers camp. In addition there had been a massive increase in “parking” overnight in the back streets near the Marina. Local residents have got fed up with this and there has been a local campaign run on the Exmouth Facebook group to get the council to do something about it.

My personal experience is that as long as locals are not inconvenienced then so what....but it seems they have had enough.

Exmouth councils response I think has been quite enlightened...rather than just banning Motorhomes, they are looking to section off a car park just over the road and implement proper grey and black water waste sights plus a number of strategically placed water stands. Not sure if you will be able to stay overnight.

This may mean people have to walk 5 mons to the beach. Given the alternative I don’t think this will be a bad result. I understand Budleigh Salterton will be doing similar with their beach front car park and banning parking along the prom.

 

[Ian Bosman]

I agree with what you say here Eddie. And as usual it’s the few that think the world owes them a living ruining it for everyone. Good on the Exmouth council to at least try to sort the problem, my only concern there is the size of parking, 5.3 mtr

Note that the limit mentioned is in respect of one of their parking areas.

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[Sticky Biscuit]

I wouldn't wast your time being bothered about it. This country has the same population as France but is only half the size. So space is at a premium and things will never change. France and Spain are 'no brainers'

I fully agree with the above. I live in Cornwall and like Devon the county does not have the space or capacity to cope with off site MHs....especially in the summer.

 

[joe and sue]

I know Exmouth extremely well having been borne and bought up in Lympstone just up the road. Most of my family still live around the area and pre COVID would visit it often.

I know the seafront area very well with our kids having spent many happy hours on the beach.

last summer (ok, not a normal year) there were many motorhomes parked stern to the pavement...people with chairs out the back across the pavement and a grey water river running down the gutter and on my early morning walk with the dog, I saw at least 3 people emptying black water into the roadside drain.

The place resembled a travellers camp. In addition there had been a massive increase in “parking” overnight in the back streets near the Marina. Local residents have got fed up with this and there has been a local campaign run on the Exmouth Facebook group to get the council to do something about it.

My personal experience is that as long as locals are not inconvenienced then so what....but it seems they have had enough.

Exmouth councils response I think has been quite enlightened...rather than just banning Motorhomes, they are looking to section off a car park just over the road and implement proper grey and black water waste sights plus a number of strategically placed water stands. Not sure if you will be able to stay overnight.

This may mean people have to walk 5 mons to the beach. Given the alternative I don’t think this will be a bad result. I understand Budleigh Salterton will be doing similar with their beach front car park and banning parking along the prom.

Great solution which would please 99%, but the other 1% who shout and scream will be those who are heard and reported about by the media.

 

[gwyntaxi]

Wasn't there a thread on here a couple of weeks ago saying Exemouth council had built an aire near the seafront ?
Edit, should have read the linked article first ! Sounds like it's the usual residents argument about motorhomers spoiling the view/taking the p!$$/and a spot of jealousy ?

Jealousy by locals immediately springs to mind, I think they are really envious when a Motorhome just pulls up in a space between two cars and 5 minutes later are enjoying a nice cup of tea in the comfort of the van without even having to step outside and they have had to pay £4-£5 for a awful cup coffee or tea in a cardboard cup Why don’t Exmouth council just say we don’t want you in our town end of, and not provide pathetic little parking spaces which they know full we cannot use as we are just that few feet longer than a car and their jobsworth wardens will be there with there tape measures and PCN’s to slap on your widescreen after you have just paid your £10 and they are slinking around waiting till you’re out of sight to slap one on you, ar****les, they can keep Exmouth as far as I am concerned, the only thing is every resort seems to be implementing the same restrictions, all because of the selfish behaviour over the years of a minority of Motorhomers.

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[Sapper520]

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.

I used ‘fleeces’ as a term that fails to encourage visitors to want to visit. I know how all local councils are cash strapped, but encouraging people to visit as opposed to charging them for expensive parking and other facilities should be the way forward.

A number of events have been moved out of the town (when they were permitted of course) by clubs due to the council charging too much for the use of Beach Lawns.

Weston’s loss have been places like Burnham-on-Sea’s gain.

 

[gwyntaxi]

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

I feel it’s possibly a somewhat illegal discrimination against Motorhome s, we are vehicles, we are insured & taxed, so why should they be able to invent a local bylaw to ban a certain type of road vehicle, I feel that if we had a loud enough voice in the form of the three main clubs to fight our corner with us they’d have to take notice and rescind their illegal discriminatory by law, but that will never happen because their is only one club that is really interested in representing the views of Motorhomes.

 

[gwyntaxi]

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

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

I used ‘fleeces’ as a term that fails to encourage visitors to want to visit. I know how all local councils are cash strapped, but encouraging people to visit as opposed to charging them for expensive parking and other facilities should be the way forward.

A number of events have been moved out of the town (when they were permitted of course) by clubs due to the council charging too much for the use of Beach Lawns.

Weston’s loss have been places like Burnham-on-Sea’s gain.

Whilst I appreciate you are correct in most of your points, I can’t bring myself to, in your words, applaud the council , for installing parking on which they have placed a discriminatory restriction of 5.3m on, as you well know these are of no use whatsoever to a Motorhome it excludes us altogether, it is only suitable for VW, how many of us drive VWs these days, I certainly used to in my surfing days but those days are long gone the surfers of today may drive more expensive VWs but they certainly won’t or can’t afford some of these parking fees, so they will be under used, and then the council will withdraw the facility because they are not financially viable, knowing full well that 98% of “Motorhomes” exceed 5.3m, I think they have for once put some thought into these proposals in forward thinking attempt to banish Motorhomes from Exmouth completely.

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[eddie]

Whilst I appreciate you are correct in most of your points, I can’t bring myself to, in your words, applaud the council , for installing parking on which they have placed a discriminatory restriction of 5.3m on, as you well know these are of no use whatsoever to a Motorhome it excludes us altogether, it is only suitable for VW, how many of us drive VWs these days, I certainly used to in my surfing days but those days are long gone the surfers of today may drive more expensive VWs but they certainly won’t or can’t afford some of these parking fees, so they will be under used, and then the council will withdraw the facility because they are not financially viable, knowing full well that 98% of “Motorhomes” exceed 5.3m, I think they have for once put some thought into these proposals in forward thinking attempt to banish Motorhomes from Exmouth completely.

You do realise that this thread is years old?

 

[2657]

Jealousy by locals immediately springs to mind, I think they are really envious when a Motorhome just pulls up in a space between two cars and 5 minutes later are enjoying a nice cup of tea in the comfort of the van without even having to step outside and they have had to pay £4-£5 for a awful cup coffee or tea in a cardboard cup Why don’t Exmouth council just say we don’t want you in our town end of, and not provide pathetic little parking spaces which they know full we cannot use as we are just that few feet longer than a car and their jobsworth wardens will be there with there tape measures and PCN’s to slap on your widescreen after you have just paid your £10 and they are slinking around waiting till you’re out of sight to slap one on you, ar****les, they can keep Exmouth as far as I am concerned, the only thing is every resort seems to be implementing the same restrictions, all because of the selfish behaviour over the years of a minority of Motorhomers.

Jealousy by locals immediately springs to mind, I think they are really envious when a Motorhome just pulls up in a space between two cars and 5 minutes later are enjoying a nice cup of tea in the comfort of the van without even having to step outside and they have had to pay £4-£5 for a awful cup coffee or tea in a cardboard cup Why don’t Exmouth council just say we don’t want you in our town end of, and not provide pathetic little parking spaces which they know full we cannot use as we are just that few feet longer than a car and their jobsworth wardens will be there with there tape measures and PCN’s to slap on your widescreen after you have just paid your £10 and they are slinking around waiting till you’re out of sight to slap one on you, ar****les, they can keep Exmouth as far as I am concerned, the only thing is every resort seems to be implementing the same restrictions, all because of the selfish behaviour over the years of a minority of Motorhomers.

May I refer you to my post #122 regarding facilities and the possible reasons that motorhomes are possibly not as welcome as other visitors.
Replies to that stated that the average motorhomer spends something like £50 per visit.
You are suggesting the locals are jealous because motorhomers can avoid paying for expensie refreshments, rather proves my point!

 

[2657]

You do realise that this thread is years old?

Twas recently resurrected though, don't know if Jesus or Lazarus

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[eddie]

Camper van parking in Exmouth 'an absolute bargain'

Camper vans and motorhomes are able to stay in the seaside town for up to three consecutive nights for just £11 for 24 hours, in three long stay car parks.

www.devonlive.com

Feb 21

No size restrictions so whether you have a tiny PVC or a medium sized 8-9m you can stay overnight.

I could even park my RV overnight there

I agree with the Council, chargeable thirty odd quid a night, heavily enforce and fine anyone not paying or parking illegally

But there again I own a campsite ripping people off

 

[EzeeRider]

You do realise that this thread is years old?

Yes I had Eddie and was just passing general comment about expenditure etc.
ezee

 

[nicholsong]

Whilst I appreciate you are correct in most of your points, I can’t bring myself to, in your words, applaud the council , for installing parking on which they have placed a discriminatory restriction of 5.3m on, as you well know these are of no use whatsoever to a Motorhome it excludes us altogether, it is only suitable for VW, how many of us drive VWs these days, I certainly used to in my surfing days but those days are long gone the surfers of today may drive more expensive VWs but they certainly won’t or can’t afford some of these parking fees, so they will be under used, and then the council will withdraw the facility because they are not financially viable, knowing full well that 98% of “Motorhomes” exceed 5.3m, I think they have for once put some thought into these proposals in forward thinking attempt to banish Motorhomes from Exmouth completely.

Similar stupid arbitary limit at Tesco on the A2 just before the hill down to Dover port. They put a height barrier at 2.9m. When I queried it with them they told me it was to stop Artics staying. They said their research told them it would not stop MHs - Wrong, there are lots over 2.9m!! ours included. Worse as it looked higher but I was not going to jam up the busy entrance while I crawled under it guided by my 'banks- woman'.

Geoff

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[Lenny HB]

You do realise that this thread is years old?

Caught again, it's those stupid links at the bottom of the treads.

 

[eddie]

You know that for sure do you? Recent surveys put the average spend of vanners between £50 to £60 per day. Granted some will spend very little but others will spend much more. I much prefer my coffees from a nice outside cafe any day and watch life go by for a bit. If councils make it difficult to park and don't want my few bob I simply go elsewhere, in the extreme across the Channel where we are always welcome.

Do you have a link for this is seems to run contrary to popular opinion

 

[busby]

Every heard of a place called Paris?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...alyptic-hellhole-of-public-urination-and-lit/

Would not visit Paris for the same reason I would not visit London,,far too big and busy for us..Put that many human beings in a confined area in most places in the world and you get a shit hole. BUSBY.

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[Sapper520]

I live in a Seaside town (yes, the beach does sea the water......sometimes ) and know that visitors are our lifeblood.

I’d just like to see a joined up approach trying to attract everyone, without the need for excluding a group. Being Motorcyclist’s as well, we know the places that are happy to see us and the ones that are not.

Some people can only take breaks at busy times, including Bank Holidays, and that’s fine with me. I’m fortunate enough to be able to walk home and not have the ‘fun’ of trying to navigate the M5 home. So the more visitors we can attract the better the town benefits.

 

[Coolcats]

Whilst it may be nice to park by and look out to sea, I have no problem with parking away from the front in a decent parking spot and just walk down to the seafront.

 

[EzeeRider]

Do you have a link for this is seems to run contrary to popular opinion

Check out the Great Britain Tourism Survey some of which has been distilled down by Pitchup. There have allso been surveys by the NCC in conjunction with the main Clubs but I cannot find these at the moment. The latest survey I'm aware of was done by CamPra. The information is out there if you search for it.
ezee

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