Portugal - Overnight parking to be allowed with some restrictions

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spikehcm681

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God bless the Portuguese "Grupo Viver numa Autocaravana.PT"

www.theportugalnews.com

Motorhome owners cancel demonstration in Lisbon

The demonstration of motor caravanners scheduled for Saturday, 24 July, in Lisbon has been cancelled by the organisation, as it considers that the legislative changes approved on 22 July by parliament respond "in great part" to the demands, namely on parking and overnight stays for motor caravans.
www.theportugalnews.com www.theportugalnews.com

I'm going to send my personal thanks - but would it be appropriate for someone (JIM?) to send our thanks.
 
spikehcm681 said:
God bless the Portuguese "Grupo Viver numa Autocaravana.PT"

www.theportugalnews.com

Motorhome owners cancel demonstration in Lisbon

The demonstration of motor caravanners scheduled for Saturday, 24 July, in Lisbon has been cancelled by the organisation, as it considers that the legislative changes approved on 22 July by parliament respond "in great part" to the demands, namely on parking and overnight stays for motor caravans.
www.theportugalnews.com www.theportugalnews.com

I'm going to send my personal thanks - but would it be appropriate for someone (JIM?) to send our thanks.
Click to expand...
Sounds like progress, but what do they mean by 'outside a protected area?'
 
How are MHomers to know where the 'Municipality boundaries are?

Does it matter anyway? Are they going to have 'Officers' going around and noting reg numbers who who parked one night here and one night there in a 'municipality'?

Geoff
 
nicholsong said:
How are MHomers to know where the 'Municipality boundaries are?

Does it matter anyway? Are they going to have 'Officers' going around and noting reg numbers who who parked one night here and one night there in a 'municipality'?

Geoff
Click to expand...

Ignorance of the law is no defence?

Unlikely that they will have officers going round municipalities checking but quite likely that they will check on stays exceeding 48 hrs in one spot which is probably the main bone of contention in Portugal.
 
matamoros said:
Ignorance of the law is no defence?

Unlikely that they will have officers going round municipalities checking but quite likely that they will check on stays exceeding 48 hrs in one spot which is probably the main bone of contention in Portugal.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Some of the Municipalities are quite large (like our District Council Areas) and may have a few towns/villages within them.

Agree too that the law was brought it to stop literally dozens of MHs parked in the same place for weeks on end - with no services at all.

So, as we're campsite based when we are in Portugal, the new law looks as if it will actually be an improvement on what used to happen - i.e. you could get fined for only stopping one night, of not on an approved location. We'll be able to have the odd night or two away in the van.
 

15 people fined for illegal camping in Costa Vicentina​

By TPN/Lusa, in News, Crime · 10-08-2021 16:49:00 · 0 Comments
15 people fined for illegal camping in Costa Vicentina

GNR today issued 15 tickets for illegal or irregular camping and caravanning in the area of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina (PNSACV).​


In a statement sent to Lusa agency, the GNR Territorial Command of Setúbal states that the violations were detected in the scope of the "Verão Seguro 2021" operation.
GNR from the Environmental Protection Centre of Santiago do Cacém (Setúbal) “monitored 15 people”, who were identified and targeted for administrative offenses “for the practice of infractions related to illegal or irregular camping and caravanning in a protected area”.
The inspection, which was reinforced by the Criminal Prevention Section of Community Policing and the Territorial Post of Sines, was carried out with the aim of finding instances of illegal camping and caravanning in the PNSACV.
Illegal or irregular camping and caravanning in a protected area "can lead to excessive and disorderly occupation of public spaces, coastal areas and areas classified by motorhomes and the like, with negative consequences on the landscape, the environment, land use planning and public health”, said the GNR.
Fines can reach up to €4,000 for offenders.
The GNR added that they “will continue to sensitise motorhomers and campers” to the adoption of “more responsible and environmentally friendly behaviour”, particularly in protected areas.
 
More good news.

Today's Portugal News (an English Language Newspaper in Portugal) is reporting that the predicted change to the overnight parking law has been approved - see below.

I know that when I've posted on this topic on previous occasions some Members were cautious about believing things that were written in the Newspapers. You pays yer money - you takes yer choice.

I haven't seen Portuguese TV today but I suspect this item will make it.

So it looks like overnighting sensibly is ok and the GNR will concentrate on naughtiness in the National Parks or long-stays in the towns and villages (unless on a approved location.)

We've booked for September - fingers crossed that there isn't an Epsilon!

Cheers

President approves restrictive motorhome law​

By TPN/Lusa, in News · 13-08-2021 01:00:00 · 1 Comments
President approves restrictive motorhome law

The President of the Republic has approved the controversial law regarding motorhome parking in Portugal.​


The new law states that, outside protected areas, overnight stays are allowed “for a maximum period of 48 hours in the same municipality”.


According to information posted on the Presidency’s website, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “approved the decree of the Assembly of the Republic that modifies the parking and parking regime for motorhomes, changing the Highway Code, and Regulatory Decree no. 22-A/98, of October 1st, which approves the Traffic Signalling Regulation”.


The amendments to the parking of motorhomes were approved in the Assembly of the Republic on 22 July, with PCP and PEV voting against, the abstention of BE, PAN, IL and Chega and the votes in favour of the other parliamentary benches.
In a final global vote, the members of parliament made viable the replacement text presented by the parliamentary committee on Economy, Innovation, Public Works and Housing regarding the parking and parking regime for motorhomes included in the Highway Code, namely articles 48 and 50.



According to the approved bills, regarding article 50-A, “the overnight stay and parking of motorhomes or similar are prohibited in areas of the Natura 2000 Network, protected areas and areas covered by the Coastal Waterfront Plans, except in places expressly authorised for this purpose”.


“In the rest of the territory and in the absence of municipal regulation for the activity, motorhomes approved by IMT - Institute of Mobility and Transport, are allowed to stay overnight for a maximum period of 48 hours in the same municipality, except in places expressly authorised for this purpose, for which there is no limit on overnight stays”, the text reads.


The bill maintains the fine for those who violate the rules for the prohibition of overnight stays and the parking of motorhomes or similar outside places expressly authorised for that purpose, which “is fined with an amount of between €60 and €300”, unless the fine is related to the Natura 2000 network areas, protected areas and zones covered by the Coastal Waterfront Planning, in which case “the fine is between €120 and €600”.

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Seems fairly easy to understand, unless in authorised places it’s a no in their National Parks and 48 hours elsewher. I cannot see the UK having anything so simple legislated.
 

Motorhomers given 24 hours to adopt new rules​



The new law regarding parking for motorhomes, which establishes that outside protected areas, overnight stays are allowed “for a maximum period of 48 hours in the same municipality”, entered into force on 24 August but was only announced on 23 August.
Law , which modifies the regime for parking and overnight parking for motorhomes, changing the Highway Code and the Traffic Signalling Regulation, was published in Diário da República on 23 August.
The decree was promulgated by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on 6 August, after being approved in the Assembly of the Republic on 22 July with the PCP and PEV votes against, the abstention of BE, PAN, IL and Chega, and the votes in favour of the remaining parliamentary benches.
In a final global vote, the deputies made viable the replacement text presented by the parliamentary committee on Economy, Innovation, Public Works and Housing regarding the parking and parking regime for motorhomes included in the Highway Code, namely articles 48 and 50 -THE.

According to the law, in relation to article 50-A, “the overnight stay and parking of motorhomes or similar are prohibited in areas of the Natura 2000 Network, protected areas and areas covered by the Coastal Plans, except in the places expressly authorised for this purpose”.
“In the rest of the territory and in the absence of municipal regulation for the activity, motorhomes approved by the IMT - Institute of Mobility and Transport are allowed to stay overnight for a maximum period of 48 hours in the same municipality, except in places expressly authorised for this purpose, for which there is no limit on overnight stays”, reads the text published today.
The diploma maintains the distinction of the amount of the fine for those who violate the rules which “is sanctioned with a fine of €60 to €300”, unless they are fined in areas of the Natura 2000 network, protected areas and areas covered by the Coastal Waterfront Planning Plans, in which case “the fine is €120 to €600”.
The diploma also determines that, after notification of the infractions, the offender can proceed with the voluntary payment of the fine immediately, a situation that “corresponds to the payment of a fine for the minimum amount”.


​





Comments​





This is fantastic news and a step in the right direction. Having recently purchased a motor home in Portugal it was disappointing when the initial law was introduced. I agree something needed to be done regarding long stayers who ruin it for the genuine motor home travellers, this update should do that. I have never seen any motor home dump rubbish or excrement, in fact I have on several occasions witnessed the opposite where they have picked up litter not dropped by them. Portugal has a lack of free / affordable places to park. The planning / licensing laws should be relaxed in order to try and introduce more of these areas. In France there are an abundance of free aires which increases the economy of the town.

By Lee Tunnicliffe from Lisbon on 27 Aug 2021, 07:51



Obey or pay. Not only small business are being destroyed, also motorhome tourism is being intentionally destroyed, to "save the environment", while locals take a dump wherever they want in nature, and leave their rubbish behind, while blaming motorhomes....

By Fred Doe from Algarve on 27 Aug 2021, 10:37
 

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