Motorway service parking

[heliart]

Hi all,

I've a big MH with a toad.
I've noticed that some motorway services are great. Drive through parking, great dogs walk area, lots of room etc.
Some on the otherhand are really painful.

I've parked in the lorry parking a few times, and last time a few months ago a lorry driver warned me I could get fined for parking there if I wasn't a HGV.

Anyone with experiance of this, and whether this is something to worry about?

Cheers,

Steve

 

[GJH]

I looked into this some years ago when I was running the Motorhome Parking web site. As far as I am aware nothing has changed since.

Enquiring of the Highways Agency established that, whilst more recent contracts require specific parking areas for particular types of vehicle, earlier contracts do not have specific provisions. In some cases MSA operators provide dedicated caravan/motorhome spaces even though they are not contractually obliged to. Even where such dedicated provision has not been made, there has been a long-standing policy requirement that MSAs provide free parking for up to two hours for all types of vehicle. Therefore, in the absence of dedicated bays for caravans and motorhomes, arrangements should be in place for the use by such vehicles of any available spaces within one of the other parking areas (for cars, coaches or lorries).

Enquiring of MSA operators found that, in general, motorhomes are allowed to use bays designated for use by caravans. If designated parking spaces are fully occupied or there are no designated bays on car parks then the advice is to use the normal car park, provided that if there were any overhang it did not obstruct entry and egress to the car park or cause any obstruction to the routes around the car parks. It would be acceptable for vehicles that were oversize to use 2 bays to accommodate the length. Where car parks are small and access is not possible due to size or available spaces then the main HGV Park can be used. Drivers would have to be aware that the area is a working environment 24/7 and persons would have to take care when moving about on foot, children should be chaperoned at all times and operators would not accept any liability, use being at own risk. Because of the types of loads using the park, i.e. highly Inflammable liquids or gases, the use of cooking facilities in the lorry park would not be allowed for fear of explosion or fires.

The warning from the lorry driver indicates that he was talking through his exhaust pipe

 

[Badknee]

Our last moho was rated @5250kgs and we towed a trailer that made us 6250kgs.The V5 said it was a private hgv so I was quite happy to park amongst the other hgv’s as we couldn’t really fit anywhere else.

 

[Gina M]

So you can't park overnight then at a motorway service station, maybe that's what the lorry driver meant ???

 

[Figaro]

I was under the impression you were welcome to overnight at motorway services provided you pay the fee. They usually have a 2 (?) Hour limit.
Not somewhere I'd want to overnight though, far to noisy with refridgerated trucks coming and going

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[Badknee]

So you can't park overnight then at a motorway service station, maybe that's what the lorry driver meant ???

Yes you can for upwards of £20 or so. Just be mindful of the truckers setting off at all hours of the day and night and beware of fridge vans, noisy bar stewards. I was in the job for 22years and could sleep through anything but not now

 

[Tombola]

I often parked up for over the 2 hours and often in the hgv part.

There will always someone you don't know telling you what you can and can't do.

 

[68c]

Those refrigerated truck drivers seem to park next to a motorhome even if loads of spaces available.

 

[heliart]

Our last moho was rated @5250kgs and we towed a trailer that made us 6250kgs.The V5 said it was a private hgv so I was quite happy to park amongst the other hgv’s as we couldn’t really fit anywhere else.

Oh yea, very interesting.

 

[Nanniemate]

I have been lead to.believe that some private parking areas motorway services are now sending out 'fines' for vehicles parked in the wrong location ie hgv in psv bays noticed a warning sign the other day but cannot remember where, think.it was m5 maybe Taunton Dean

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[Verteuil Man]

Problem being that service areas promote tak8ng a break on long journeys. You stop and the designated parking areas are full. You park in another area and they fine you. I am not a legal person but I would have thought that making it difficult to park and taking a break as most advice and the Highway Code advises their penalty policy would not gain traction in court.

Just a thought

As for grumpy truck drivers. Truck off.

 

[3 cabbages]

Recently I have parked up overnight with motorhome on the motorway services area . Just go in to the W H Smith and ask for overnight parking please.
15 quid and you get a key to the showers in the morning .
not picturesque but it
saves you time on a long journey and you don't get lost on side roads!

 

[Otter Spotter]

Most Motorway services will permit 2 hours free parking then charge £20 to £23 for anything longer, not including the Gloucester Services ( both ways) Tebay and Cairn Lodge who permit 3 hours and charge £23 for over night as they are all owned by the Westmorland Family I believe.
Sometimes if we want to visit our eldest in Devon, we will travel at night and leapfrog the services staying for 2 hours at 2 services and finish with 3 hours at Gloucester, it’s enough sleep for us to arrive fresh the following morning.

 

[GJH]

To address a couple of points.

Parking for more than 2 hours at a MSA normally attracts a fee whatever the time of day, overnight being no different. The firms which run MSAs do not usually monitor what occupiers of parked vehicles do so would not usually bother if people slept rather than just parked. As mentioned yesterday, though, the use of cooking facilities in the lorry park would not be allowed for fear of explosion or fires.

Firms which run MSAs can not fine people because their car parks are private - but (as in any other private car park) they can issue a penalty charge (either directly or through a management company) if people breach the contract they have entered into by parking. Depending on the contract terms, such charges could be made for parking in the "wrong" area for more than the two hours free parking required by government policy.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I suppose if it was very busy in the hgv section and lorries could not park up then they may issue warnings.i have pulled up in the hgv section on several occasions and never had any comments from staff or lorry drivers, but there has always been space for lots of vehicles.
If you have broken down and you advise the service area staff you can stay longer wirh permission without extra charges, till you are sorted.

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[Coolcats]

ParkingEye meets its match as it takes on a top barrister over an £85 fine​

 

[GJH]

ParkingEye meets its match as it takes on a top barrister over an £85 fine​

So he didn't actually win the case as it was struck out without being heard. That being the case it would be dangerous for anyone to rely on getting away with it.
Looking at Google Streetview he probably wouldn't get away with his signage claim now as there are large signs at the entrance (image capture August 2022).

 

[Ingwe]

It will be interesting to see whether Parking Eye will appeal the decision to throw out the case by its non attendance at the hearing. The defendant had prepared a full (8 page) defence on the legality of the parking contract. But that was not heard.
I very much doubt that there will be an appeal. I say this because if the appeal is lost, then there will be a judgment showing that Parking Eye was wrong. Instead, it will carry on with, according to the linked article, issuing 1000 cases a month, relying on the apathy or fear of defendants who pay up.

 

[GJH]

It will be interesting to see whether Parking Eye will appeal the decision to throw out the case by its non attendance at the hearing.

Given that it happened well over 5 years ago I would say it would be odds on that Parking Eye will not appeal

 

[Ingwe]

Oops. Didn’t spot the date in the article. Would love to see the application for leave to appeal out of time!

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[Tombola]

Recently I have parked up overnight with motorhome on the motorway services area . Just go in to the W H Smith and ask for overnight parking please.
15 quid and you get a key to the showers in the morning .
not picturesque but it
saves you time on a long journey and you don't get lost on side roads!

Yep...I do similar at Burtonwood..met some right characters there