Motorhome overnight in Blackpool
Our first experience of overnighting in Blackpool since the council set up its new policy of allowing sleeping in motorhomes at certain car parks. We used Gynn Square which is a coach park. It's far enough away from the noise and bustle of the tower area so we had an undisturbed night. Right next to a tram stop and yards from the North Shore
The council now allows sleeping overnight in certain coach parks. £ 6 for 12 hours. It's a new initiative by a Motorhome friendly car parks manager. I understand that if it is successful, they will look at creating Motorhome only car parks In the future
A couple of minor niggles. They haven't altered the signs by the pay machine which still say no overnight sleeping and you will be sharing with coaches. The machines only take cash so you might have to pop into an amusement arcade to change a note. Other than that, a great step forward. Wish more councils would follow.
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Regarding "Wish more councils would follow." and "Nice to see some forward thinking" may I point out that both councils have made these facilities available only after
constructive approaches (i.e. not whinges or calls from compulsion) from a number of individuals who have put forward a proper case as to why it is in the interests of everyone to do so.If people want other councils to follow suit the answer is in their hands. Councils aren't going to make speculative changes if it going to cost money they don't have.
Graham
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Thanks for the information. Is the parking restricted to motorhomes or can a caravan stay there?
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graham, do you know if the 'constructive' approaches are available to view...
whenever producing documents (certainly throughout my working life in the IT business) its always useful to 'have a successful template' that includes all the relevent sections which go towards this successful outcome.
obviously the detail for each case would be different, but understanding what elements are required and at what level of detail might be useful for turning whingers into constructive case makers.
thanks for your update.
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Blackdeath - your duplicate thread has been Deleted User.
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graham, do you know if the 'constructive' approaches are available to view...
whenever producing documents (certainly throughout my working life in the IT business) its always useful to 'have a successful template' that includes all the relevent sections which go towards this successful outcome.
obviously the detail for each case would be different, but understanding what elements are required and at what level of detail might be useful for turning whingers into constructive case makers.
thanks for your update.
The approaches have taken several forms, both written and verbal.
I know what you mean about IT - I was in that game for over 35 years
I have published a short template letter
Here which I am happy for anyone to use as a basis. There is also a useful article published by
All The Aires about requirements for a stopover.Graham
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cheers, Graham.
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I think what Graham says is perfectly right. I do understand that one of the factors which saw Blackpool doing this was that a new coach park has been built, thereby freeing up spaces elewhere
With regard to cost, of course that is a major factor in local authority thinking. However, it might be worth pointing out that the cost to Blackpool so far has been close to zero. No changes have been made to either signage or road markings and they are getting an income they would not have had. That's something we could point out to other councils
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While welcoming the Blackpool initiative as a positive first step, I have reservations regarding the disposal of Grey and Toilet waste.
Are there proper septic tanks which can cope with toilet fluid as well as human waste, or dare I say it are people supposed to use the Bucket and Chuckit method into the surrounding hedgerows which happens all too frequently elsewhere. .
k .
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Presumably it's a car park...therefore there are no waste facilities....which is the same as many thousands of Aires and Stellplatze on the continent.....they have no problems there!!!!!!!!!
Write your comments here...I've stayed in loads of Aires in France and every one had disposal points. Most had "Les Flot Bleu". --- Excellent idea.
Never been on an Aire with no disposal facilities.
If the UK want to Emulate the continent with Aire type areas they really need to provide disposal facilities, or we all know what is going to happen, as the poor people of Dover found out to their cost.
K
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I think what Graham says is perfectly right. I do understand that one of the factors which saw Blackpool doing this was that a new coach park has been built, thereby freeing up spaces elewhere
With regard to cost, of course that is a major factor in local authority thinking. However, it might be worth pointing out that the cost to Blackpool so far has been close to zero. No changes have been made to either signage or road markings and they are
getting an income they would not have had. That's something we could point out to other councilsI don't know if there has been a new coach park built but I do know that parking arrangements in Blackpool have been undergoing change for several years and a major part of the thinking has been how to accommodate motorhomes, both during the day and overnight.
Cost (or lack of it) is an important point but not the only one. It has to be possible to demonstrate ongoing benefit. At Guisborough, for instance, the cost was relatively low, being largely confined to the expenses involved in changing parking orders and
ticket machine software. Unfortunately the projected take-up of the scheme never materialised so it was abandoned.Graham
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While welcoming the Blackpool initiative as a positive first step, I have reservations regarding the disposal of Grey and Toilet waste.
Are there proper septic tanks which can cope with toilet fluid as well as human waste, or dare I say it are people supposed to use the Bucket and Chuckit method into the surrounding hedgerows which happens all too frequently elsewhere. .
k .
There are no waste disposal facilities (which mirrors the situation at St Annes), the facilities simply allow overnighting. As I understand it (again as with St Annes) the situation is to be monitored to gauge the benefits (or not) of spending the money
necessary to provide water and waste facilities.As far as I know St Annes hasn't been abused so there is no reason to think Blackpool will be. I would hope that if anyone did witness abuse they would report it so that only the guilty were punished not the rest of us.
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most folk i know (who are comfortable using their own facs and staying on aires or similar) manage to make the toilet cassette last around three days before it requires emptying.
in fact, more and more vans (for lomger term touring) are coming with two (or even three) cassettes or even being converted to a black tank and macerator to lengthen the time between stops that have no suitable disposal point.
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most folk i know (who are comfortable using their own facs and staying on aires or similar) manage to make the toilet cassette last around three days before it requires emptying.
in fact, more and more vans (for lomger term touring) are coming with two (or even three) cassettes or even being converted to a black tank and macerator to lengthen the time between stops that have no suitable disposal point.
Exactly. The Blackpool and St Annes facilities aren't meant for long term stays. The "bucket & chuck it" brigade are a minority who tend to stay longer where it costs them nothing (so probably wouldn't use the places anyway) and not just in this country either.
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Bd..... would like to copy your initial post to a major MH forum if I may?
Of course
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While welcoming the Blackpool initiative as a positive first step, I have reservations regarding the disposal of Grey and Toilet waste.
Are there proper septic tanks which can cope with toilet fluid as well as human waste, or dare I say it are people supposed to use the Bucket and Chuckit method into the surrounding hedgerows which happens all too frequently elsewhere. .
k .
Most motorhomes can go a couple of days without having to dump anything. We are much more likely to stay a night and then move on, unlike the tuggers who prefer to stay a few days. This facility in Blackpool is designed for the odd overnight. I'd love it if we saw the sort of water and disposal facilities you get on French aires but there are plenty of places I have overnighted in France that don't have those facilities. We carry a spare cssette just in case
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if folk feel they have to empty their cassette each day then i suggest that the odd overnight, no facs, park up is not for them.
these places are handy stops to see the surrounding sights/areas allowing a safe overnight prior to moving on.
they arent camp sites and do not (necessarily) require dump points.
for those that feel they cant 'manage', go to a camp site and leave others that are comfortable to use them.....responsibly.
ive stopped at many an aire 'sans facs' and havent seen anyone (ever) 'chucking their black waste into a hedgerow'.
those who responsibly use these provided facilities are not 'travellers' and to be bracketed as such is a bit of a cheek.
to somehow assume that anyone who doesnt park at an overpriced, over fac'd, campsite is a dirty itinerant is totally wrong...
i shower every day, thanks.....
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