Have your say on Motorway Service Areas
Club members often highlight issues with Motorway Service Areas to us, sometimes with positive comments, sadly quite often with concerns over things like caravan parking provisions. We’ve raised these concerns at National Towing Working Group* meetings, and in response, there’s now an opportunity to give your views on how you use Service Areas, and what your experience has been:
https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=152145866477
The survey is anonymous, and should only take around 5 minutes.
This survey will give us the opportunity to get your views directly into the regular discussions held between Highways England and the Service Area operators. Please note, you can give feedback on your experiences throughout the UK, not just with Service Areas in England, though.
* About the National Towing Working Group: The Club works closely with Highways England on a range of issues including road safety, congestion reduction and journey planning. One initiative they facilitate is the National Towing Working Group, bringing together many organisations and representatives from the whole towing sector, not just caravans. The group members work together to pool knowledge, research and expertise to come up with initiatives which will improve the safety and experience of towing road users on the strategic road network.
Comments
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Thank you Rowena, done that, nice to hear about The Clubs involvement.
My biggest recent gripe is about AA Recovery trucks dropping recovered cars into caravan bays in service areas. They need a long bay to unload the car so another truck can take it on its next leg. But I know that sometimes these cars lie there for days waiting to be picked up. The last time this happened there was two AA trucks taking up 2 lanes and the other bays were full so I had to go to the next SA.
BillC
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Well as a motorhomer I failed on the first question 'do you tow?'. It's not always easy using motorway services as a motorhomer, not as bad as towing a vehicle but still need a slightly larger parking space - a decent overhang opportunity is wonderful.
Maybe the issue of motorhome parking, without towing, could be taken up by the club as a separate issue?
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The Maidstone Services provide a Caravan only parking area - about 10 designated bays - too narrow for caravans to park in any of the bays and usually filled with other types of vehicles - see pic.
And the stench of urine at the Toddington Services parking area is overwhelming - - once bitten - never to return.
There are ample toilet facilities at Toddington but if people don't use them what hope is there of much improvement whatever the Service Owners do.
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Are motorhomes included in the survey. Rarely do I see a sign that says Caravan and Motorhome Parking? Are motorhomes allowed to park in caravan bays, if not where are they expected to park. I think a lot more thought could have gone into that survey seeing that we are now the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Motorhomers can only complete the survey if they lie about towing!!!
David
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A motorhome is too wide for a car park space, it would be taking up 2 or 4 spaces due to width and length
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Most service stations are pretty dire when it comes to caravans. I've been to various places where, even when there are supposed to be car & caravan spaces, they're way way too short. While I accept our out fit it large, I generally struggle to find spaces that are anything like long enough at services.
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If you can get into the car park does it matter if you take up two or more spaces? Surely that is better than taking up a caravan space...
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Thanks for this Rowena. I’ve completed the survey so hopefully it will bear fruit one day!
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As Chippy Dave says with a large coach built motorhome you are likely to be encroaching on up to 4 parking bays. There is also the issue that quite a few parking areas don't have drive through parking bays. You would also be relying on there being bays available in order to pull in and straighten up. Service Stations seem so full these days you would be unlike to find the space you need to manoeuvre safely into place.
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Avoid them like the plaque unless absolutely desperate but I must be in the minority as they, even at their prices, seem always to be full and make good profits. On a caravan security talk recently and the police warn of the very high number of caravans stolen from motorway services areas as most people park with very few security devices fitted as opposed to when sited.
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Maybe Moho’s should be able to book a place to be saved😂😂😂
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Completed survey.
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Posted on 06/04/2018 09:49 by Oneputt
Been on one busy service station in Kent where a member of staff kick non towing vehicles out of the caravan parking slots. Can’t remember the name but it’s on the Dover carriageway, Bravo to them
......and about time too.
Why can't they all do this. I was once asked to leave the HGV area once whilst towing. It wasn't half full but the caravan bays were.
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