Motorhome Parking
Hi
As much as we enjoy staying in C&M Club sites and certified locations from time to time, it is not really practical or affordable to do so long term. Have you enjoyed travelling the year round in many European Countries, being able to stop at Aires and in designated motorhome parking places without the frustration of having to book weeks or months ahead, or to suffer the virtual impossibility of finding anywhere to stop en-route overnight in the UK particularly in the winter when most of the campsites are either closed or impossibly boggy?
I have met many retired motor homers abroad who say they would like to visit the UK more often, but having done so once despite driving on (their) wrong side say they'll never come again as there is nowhere to stay at short notice, and the only option is expensive campsites, and most of those are booked up in the summer. Seems we are missing out enormously on foreign visitors. On the other hand its a reason why many UK motor-homers forsake our lovely country and spend months abroad instead...as its simply just too much hassle touring in UK.
Somehow the UK authorities and its various camping, caravanning and other touring clubs seem to dig in heels and fail adequately to adequately respond to the rise in motorhome usage. Rather than adapting as the continentals have...where even many campsites now are providing non-booked motorhome 'aire' spaces without all the showers, toilets and other stuff that self contained motor-homers simply don't need (just water and drain points, access to campsite services just an optional extra).
Entrenched interests... campsite owners... try to influence authorities to resist such things, thinking their overbooked campsites will somehow lose business (even from people who don't want to stay there anyway). Authorities instead of designating proper overnight parking areas instead festooning parking places (otherwise empty overnight) with 'no overnight camping' signs to fight a rearguard action against frustrated wild campers many of whom would be happy to use properly designated spots if they were only available.
So far just a tiny handful of enterprising folks have set up small aire-type sites...mostly in Scotland where the NIMBYS are perhaps more widely spaced! I don't know about how the newly named C&M Club is going to act on this issue, but there's a good opportunity for enterprising CL owners to jump in....they should be actively encouraged methinks.
It's all a debate stumbling to happen. I noticed on another forum that this chap is trying to promote a debate on the subject in Parliament...I would encourage our motor-homers to sign up.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/187743/signatures/new
Regards
Comments
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Hi Barge, we have a caravan, not a MH, but looking at threads on here would suggest that a lack of winter sites is not unique to the UK.
Whilst having a caravan means that MH type stops are not available to us neither are they what we desire and while MH owners seem to want low cost no frills 'stops' I cannot see the number of sites available increasing if, as you suggest, they are not what you want.
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This is not the first time a petition on the subject has been raised. It is not down to government to decided, it is down to local government and these are the ones to lobby. Touring freely in the UK is nigh on impossible unless you wildcamp but I am not so sure in this small country Aires would make much difference? There is always Brit Stops?
ppeedee
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Where Councils have been able to construct a sound business case to convince the locals it is a good idea, they have opened up car parks for overnight stays. These are at reasonable rates.
You can join the Wild Campers group which record places to park overnight. And there is BritStops as peedee says and another one I stumbled across which lists pub car parks you ca stay in overnight for free if you eat at the pub.
As Dave FL2 says, we have limited room with a population density more than double France.
And then there is our planning regulations!
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Well we haven't had too many problems touring UK at short notice, using all sorts of sites and keeping the site budget under control as well. There are all sorts of networks to use for overnight stops with a MH, some basic, some with all mod cons. We tour throughout the year and have had some great bargains from really expensive sites in the off peak Winter months. Example, South Wales trip. First night a Britstop in Stratford, £3. Up and off down to Swansea, nice private site to West of city recommended to us, £12, fully serviced pitch, hot showers, loos, laundry, pizzas delivered, great dog walk, great views, lovely welcome even late at night! Then two nights at Tredegar Park Club Site, all facilities, less than £14 per night. thats four nights away for £43, most with full facilites, just over £10.50 per night. Now i would call that a bargain. We could do it even cheaper if we tried harder, but whats the point, we want a bit of luxury!
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We only travel from April till October and choose France because we love it and don't want to lose our linguistic skill. We also tour in England and always use CL sites. Sometimes we need to phone one or two to find a pitch but we have never failed to find somewhere within our chosen locality, even at short notice. Nothing would persuade us to use a Club site. We consider most CL sites to be good value for money though some have become more expensive in recent years.
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