Vehicles used for habitation.

[Wild Brambles]

Last night I revisited a former favourite parking spot of mine. It's a quiet parking area next to a park with a recreation area. This is a social project at each end - a kids' playgroup, and a community room. It is next to a lathe block of flats, but they have adequate street parking, and it is located at the end of a short cul-de-sac. It's busy during the day,but virtually unused at night. The council has recently adding a parking restriction notice, and two of them are relevant.

There is now a 24 hour maximum stay. Well that is fair enough, and a while ago, I noticed that a long term parker had been clamped for not having tax on his vehicle.

The other restriction bans parking for "Vehicles used for habitation". This appears to be a restriction covering both day and night. I've noticed a couple of taxi drivers who are living in their cars, and another couple of car drivers, who turn up wearing high viz jackets. These are in the lay-byes, rather than in this parking area. More and more people seem to be becoming homeless from necessity rather than from choice, so you think we will see n increase in locations having these restrictions? Hayling Island has banned overnight stays for motor homes and vehicles converted for sleeping, and some lay-byes have overnight restriction for vehicles over 5 tonnes ( will that include large campers? ).

 

[Anthea M]

Yes I’m sure this is happening, more people sleeping in vans as they may be homeless or working away.
Watched an piece on the news about people and families living in vans as they cannot afford housing.

We are lucky we have the choice and can come back to homes when we have finished our travels.

 

[Wild Brambles]

I don't think I could handle living in a car. My Convoy is about the smallest I would consider for more than a couple of days, and I really would have preferred an Iveco Jumbo, or a library van, but urban parking gets a bit difficult. As it is, I had to give up on the Yeovil Mc|Donald's. The spaces were so narrow, that I would have had to use the back doors to get out, and the car next to me would have had problems.

 

[big map]

We have an old lady who “lives” in her car at the car park at work. She’s very independent at the moment. But on cold and frosty mornings I do feel for her.

 

[Anthea M]

We have an old lady who “lives” in her car at the car park at work. She’s very independent at the moment. But on cold and frosty mornings I do feel for her.

Oh that’s sad does she get help , food etc ( where does she wee and awash?)

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[big map]

Oh that’s sad does she get help , food etc ( where does she wee and awash?)

She refuses all help. I imagine she gets food from the co op or Sainsbury’s or the are loads of cafes in Wareham.
Toilets of the right of the photo. My office and car are also in this photo

 

[Anthea M]

She refuses all help. I imagine she gets food from the co op or Sainsbury’s or the are loads of cafes in Wareham.
Toilets of the right of the photo. My office and car are also in this photo
View attachment 346622

Not been moved on yet?

 

[big map]

Not been moved on yet?

By who?
Where would she go?
Shes been there at least 20 years.

 

[sonny]

By who?
Where would she go?
Shes been there at least 20 years.

Taken root

 

[busby]

By who?
Where would she go?
Shes been there at least 20 years.

They could make a film about her and call it Lady in a Van...Oops sorry all ready been done..It's a shame it today's society people have to resort to living rough.BUSBY.

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[shawn&emma]

Unfortunately some abuse the area when they stay, rubbish and over staying their welcome, I'm sure we've all seen this in places. At the end of the day they, the man doesn't want us on their patch. We're staying in south Kent at the moment and everywhere we've been, visiting family, day out etc there are signs up saying no overnights, height barriers etc. We go regularly down to Dungerness and park up near the light house, walk the dog and have some lunch, in the van, watch the sun set and the lights come on before heading back to the cl we are staying on. Every time we go down there the amount of police driving back and forth is quite unbelivable, guessing it's to do with the amount of boats bringing people across that are keeping them on their toes. No chance of spending the night down there in the van as soon as it does get dark I'm sure they'll move you on.

We visit family in sellinge and they don't have room for our van on their drive, if we park on the road, the A20 we'll most likely have no mirrors left and the neibour complains she's can't see the view of the wall on the opposite side of the road.

Tenterden has no official motorhome parking so you risk getting a ticket from the warden because the van is outside of the marked bay so have to park up the road in another estate in front of someone else's house who gets up set.

Talk about some miserable people around, we've defiantly met a few of them over the last 10 weeks.

Think I'm ranting a little this morning, got out the end of the bed forwards instead of backwards so it's put me out of kilter

 

[chaser]

You may have opened a can of worms here , wait till GJH comes to put the facts about parking and camping

 

[Dilbert]

On a industrial estate near me there's always 4 or 5 old vans parked up including RVs and coachbuilts and another bloke who had a Talbot now lives in a 20ft container. I've retired now but spent most of my working life living in a truck cab during the week and seen more and more full timers the last few years.

 

[B-well]

We go regularly down to Dungerness and park up near the light house, Every time we go down there the amount of police driving back and forth is quite unbelivable, guessing it's to do with the amount of boats bringing people across that are keeping them on their toes.

The police are patrolling the power station area. This being a high risk site.

The light railway restaurant has parking for customers, ask to park overnight on their land.




We visit family in sellinge and they don't have room for our van on their drive, if we park on the road, the A20 we'll most likely have no mirrors left and the neibour complains she's can't see the view of the wall on the opposite side of the road.
Have you tried asking at Sellindge sports and social club if you can park while visiting.

Tenterden has no official motorhome parking so you risk getting a ticket from the warden because the van is outside of the marked bay so have to park up the road in another estate in front of someone else's house who gets up set.
Tenderden railway has very large car park, just let them know you are staying overnight.

Talk about some miserable people around, we've defiantly met a few of them over the last 10 weeks.
I understnd your frustration, Hythe fishermens beach has just enforced NO MOTORHOMES between 6.00pm and 8.ooam parking.
You can park along Military road beside canal bank nr Sainsburys.

Think I'm ranting a little this morning, got out the end of the bed forwards instead of backwards so it's put me out of kilter

 

[Rusty Pumper]

And for an unfortunate few, with addictions and no other options, living in their vehicles can come at a terrible cost:

A gifted physicist reduced to living in his car: what killed Hamid Alamdari?

A gifted physicist reduced to living in his car: what killed Hamid Alamdari?

Hamid Farahi Alamdari 1962-2018: He was a charmer who spoke seven languages and claimed he had nearly worked with Stephen Hawking – but somehow Hamid ended up living in a Tesco car park and dying alone

www.theguardian.com

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[PeteH]

My feeling is it all started with the "right to buy". After that the social housing pool shrank markedly. Many cases of "family" paying Mum and Dads miniscule mortgage and reaping the large profits on their decease. Prior, the house was allocated to another family who`s means kept them off the "ownership" ladder. "We" benefited, I admit, in higher house prices due to demand, but at whose expense?. "Affordable" rented property is no longer available in many places. Hence in my view this exacerbates the homeless situation. Lot`s of "Dads" being thrown out of the family home, so "er indoors" can move the Boyfriend in. Add to that, a generation of Ex service personnel some with serious "issues" caused by their service. and IMV this is the situation we now have.

And that is without any reference to the fact that Councils are being forced to prioritise housing for "refugees" (so called), pushing those who have been on list for years further back..

 

[gus-lopez]

The spaces were so narrow, that I would have had to use the back doors to get out, and the car next to me would have had problems.

No different in Waitrose car park in Burgess hill. When anyone parks in adjacent space ,even in cars, no one can get in or out.

Every time we go down there the amount of police driving back and forth is quite unbelivable, guessing it's to do with the amount of boats bringing people across that are keeping them on their toes.

That's for the power station.

No chance of spending the night down there in the van as soon as it does get dark I'm sure they'll move you on.

No. Ask in the cafe by the lighthouse or eat in the pilot pub & they allow overnight parking . The toilets at Lade car park opposite Taylor road which has McColls & the fish shop in. Dymchurch main car park.

 

[Geo]

Many Councils including our local Mansfield and Ashfield Councils are currently invoking legislation to prevent Lorry Drivers overnighting on Industrial Estates
Whats that all about

 

[shawn&emma]

I didn't think about the power station but thats possibly it. We've lived on the marsh all our lives and spent many a time down there and its only this last stay that we've seen the police around that what we thought was odd.

Didn't ask at the railway but their own carpark signs say no overnight stays.

Hadn't thought of the Sellindge sports and social club but its a long walk to the mother in law, on the other hand that could mean we have a shorter visit........ as got to walk back in the light

Contacted the Tenterden railway last week and had nice reply back saying could only use the carpark if using the railway and defiantly no overnight parking.

Contacted Ashford Council and asked for a list of designated motorhome parking for Tenterden and Ashford, only three designated spaces apparently at the council offices in ashford, bloody long walk to Tenterden from there lol.

Thanks

Shawn

 

[shawn&emma]

No different in Waitrose car park in Burgess hill. When anyone parks in adjacent space ,even in cars, no one can get in or out.
That's for the power station.
No. Ask in the cafe by the lighthouse or eat in the pilot pub & they allow overnight parking . The toilets at Lade car park opposite Taylor road which has McColls & the fish shop in. Dymchurch main car park.

Thanks, will ask at the cafe next time.

We have been told that we could stay in the Pilot carpark overnight but to be honest we don't know what all the hype is about with their meals, we've eaten there a few times in the past and don't rate it that good actually, prefer the fish and chips from the rod and line down the avenue.

Will check on the carpark opposite Taylor road but could have sworn when we came past yesterday it had a height barrier but may be wrong, will look next week when we go down.

Not actually that keen on Dymchurch but thanks for info on parking.

Shawn

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[shawn&emma]

Many Councils including our local Mansfield and Ashfield Councils are currently invoking legislation to prevent Lorry Drivers overnighting on Industrial Estates
Whats that all about

Being so close to the tunnel and Dover pretty much every industrial estate and lay-by in this corner of Kent has no parking over 7.5t and not overnight. They are trying to force them all into the lorry stop at Ashford.

Shawn

 

[nicholsong]

Tesco and Lidl/Aldi(?) at top of Dover hill just off A2 have erected height barriers this year because of truck parking, but annoyingly Tesco have chosen 2.9m and our MH is 3.0m - higher would have stopped trucks but allowed MHs.

Geoff

 

[MANGOFORTH]

I blame the trustafarians

 

[PeteH]

Many Councils including our local Mansfield and Ashfield Councils are currently invoking legislation to prevent Lorry Drivers overnighting on Industrial Estates
Whats that all about

That been getting worse year on year. The one just off the Stonebridge Rbt (or underpass now) had a Lorry ban 10 or more years ago. I was warned by the Guys on the receiving bay in one of the Units, They let me wait on the yard for 45min, but couldn't let me overnight. I eventually found a layby near Hinckley. The alternative was M1 Services.

 

[gus-lopez]

Will check on the carpark opposite Taylor road but could have sworn when we came past yesterday

Haven't been there this year but wasn't last year. Another one is along on the Dungeness estate as you go to the lighthouse the fishing bait place .Buy a licence to fish off the beach &, by all accounts, you can park down where the boats are drawn up on the beach overnight whilst you are fishing. Only thing is barrier is locked overnight.

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[shawn&emma]

Haven't been there this year but wasn't last year. Another one is along on the Dungeness estate as you go to the lighthouse the fishing bait place .Buy a licence to fish off the beach &, by all accounts, you can park down where the boats are drawn up on the beach overnight whilst you are fishing. Only thing is barrier is locked overnight.

Yes there's been a motorhome on the beach side of the barrier the last three times we've been down there with a bottle of gas hooked up outside. keep meaning to knock and ask him about how he manages to be there never anyone there when we've walked the dog that way.

It seems that the barrier is always locked now and everyone seems to stop and must have a key for it. Unless they keep it locked at the weekend to keep the masses from parking up down there which I could quiet understand as we can't believe how popular it is down there now, Good business for the restaurants though.

Shawn

 

[chaser]

GJH hasn't turned up but apparently parking and sleeping are two different things one is parking and the other is classed as camping for some reason even though you are not

 

[PeteH]

GJH hasn't turned up but apparently parking and sleeping are two different things one is parking and the other is classed as camping for some reason even though you are not

Been done to death on here in the past. But a thing well past time for a re-think. IMV.

 

[Wild Brambles]

You can get keys for various locks from the council. They gave me one for the disabled loo because I was concerned that I would be arrested for peeing next to the car park. One of the advantages of being on the homeless electoral role.

I know a couple of people who have keys to the barriers. They claimed they had boats to launch, and needed to get a high top vehicle through the barrier. I don't think this works for inland parks though.

 

[pappajohn]

You may have opened a can of worms here , wait till GJH comes to put the facts about parking and camping

I reckon Graham's fed up with doing it.... It usually leads to arguments about what's parking and what's camping.

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