Autogas, a concern?
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...but the bulk seller would be selling more to the club, wouldn't it?
and, yes, they'd have to set up the service point, but cages etc had to be supplied and installed for the storage of Calor bottles, didn't they?
so, as in any business, there may be some set up costs, but these are normally written off after a long period, surely no one expects to get that all back instantly?
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I understand bulk tankers service sites at set intervals,so it would depend on the add use of gas on each site whether that would also have to change,
The gas cages are i think supplied by the club for wardens to store the bottles,and now sites bulk tanks are also being caged in with armcore m/way crash barriers fitted,
So a pump would not be a a very cost effective installation,when the majority of LVs use calor or other type of portable cylinders
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so, as in any business, there may be some set up costs, but these are normally written off after a long period, surely no one expects to get that all back instantly?
I still don't think you could expect average garage prices BB. It would be like the difference between a standard filling station and one on a motorway, you would be paying for the convenience of not having to go off your route. They would I think be more advantageous to those with safefill type cylinders, who might experience difficulties at some filling stations. Plus of course the benefit of just walking across to the refill station.
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I had a colleague that had a petrol 4X4 which he converted to run on LPG. The real problem he found was that there was not a corresponding meaningful reduction in VED. It was only economic if you did a high mileage which he didn't do. It must have been the 1980/90's that LPG was at its most popular. The real problem is that the caravan/motorhome numbers won't be enough to save most filling stations in the end. I am sure enough will survive but you will have to plan to fill up rather than relying on finding somewhere ad hoc along the route.
David
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You are right DK, the reduction for conversions was only small, slightly higher if you had it converted from new. But if you informed DVLA, you didn’t pay in LEZ zones, doubt this is still the same though. Our first conversion was a 4.0 litre Jeep Cherokee, which we paid to have converted. At the time, given that LPG was a third the price of petrol, we got our money back within months, especially as we used it for towing. OH converted Jeep Wrangler, which was a much more straight forward conversion, and again it’s been worth it for us. We live in quite an urban area, so there are lots of places to fuel up, especially as M1, A1 are not far away. On a trip from home to Penzance, we would set off with a full LPG tank, top up at either Cirencester or Okehampton, and then we used two regular fill up places, one in Hayle, about four miles from where we stayed, or if in Falmouth area, one between Falmouth and Helston. It’s a while since we have used car down there, we would have to check both are still there. Another garage with LPG was the one climbing up Haldon Hill towards Racecourse, but again, needs checking to see if they still supply it.
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Stock is now in as far as I know. ‘Every man and his dog wants a Safefill at the moment’ was the comment when I rang up! A second shipment of stock will be arriving soon. As far as the filling points are concerned, there is no doubt that LPG points are closing as I have found out to my cost when I went to Cromer a couple of weeks ago. However, if the number of refillables continues to grow as I expect it will with the comment above, it may stop more closing. All refillables will be affect by closures- not just Safefill,.
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...but OTOH the freeing up of the gas locker for other use was seen as a plus in vans with limited storage...
perhaps converters will have a look at the changing situation and possibly revert to lockers and bottles?
im happy to have a my refillable (and another bottle) in the locker, best of all worlds..but currently not possible in some smaller vans..
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Why would the Club want to get involved in selling gas ? just the Health & Safety requirements of members using a diy gas pump is frightening. A gas spill by a careless filler could end up being a disaster.
As it is the supply of pre- filled cylinders is purely a courtesy by the Wardens onsite, thats why you have to pay separately for a cylinder exchange onsite....usually in cash. Aint going to happen.
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I don’t think it’s been mentioned but I use www.mylpg.eu This is the site that Safefill have gone to as with everything else going on, they were finding it difficult to keep the supplier list up to date. This website is good in the fact that we, as Caravanners and Motorhomers can be interactive and report any closed, new or redundant sites. I have recently had to report the closure of a gas facility in Norfolk at Martins Service Station near Cromer. Taken over by BP-the gas tank was taken away. Can that be a good business move in a very popular holiday area? As refillables become more and more popular, they might regret removing it!
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I think if you knew more about it rayjsj, you would see how safe the procedure is. A spill of gas is not really possible on properly constructed cylinders- Safefill, Alugas, Gaslow etc, but highly possible by someone trying to fill a rental cylinder!
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We use that website too but have found it is not always accurate. We went to a service station yesterday to see if they really had gas, it was marked as verified on 01/04/19, yet looked to have been closed for a good time and was up for sale.
Have not reported it as yet as there was some sort of pump in the car park of the adjacent Co-op, so that could be gas, but would not be accessible for us as caravanners with a fixed system.
Going that way again tomorrow on the way to our next site, so will see if we can get a better look, and also check out the two other filling stations on our route.
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I don’t think it’s so much the ability of us dumb members that would be a stumbling block to the club selling gas at a pump but the rules and regs that apply to sellers would surely put them off doing it.
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DD, I couldn’t hope to match your knowledge of such things.
There you go, the floor's yours👍🏻
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I think that there are at least two reasons why CC would not provide a refill point.
A risk assessment would probably show that there would be no member of staff able to oversee to ensure that only suitable bottles were refilled and if by chance they did observe they would likely have no immediate means to stop the process.
There is unlikely to be enough members staying on site wishing to fill to justify expenditure.
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Merve, I've certainly mentioned it in the past, and the app.
one of the really good things about it is the verification of supply where a visitor can add a date and comment about their visit...
so you will know the last time someone visited (and posted).
obviously, not everyone updates the site, but there are sufficient responses to be able to be pretty sure that a site is open for LPG.
edit: just spotted Kjells reply and that's odd that a recent verification turns out to be wrong...they often include the time and the price of the gas....usually from a real transaction...
BTW, the website also has the full European list of POI data, again very useful.
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as above, I am allowed to fill my Gaslow tank without any formal training (which I also didn't get for filling unleaded or diesel...)
perhaps I could now be a consultant for CC LPG filling stations thus removing one of the excuses......sorry, reasons
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Yes, we found it odd too, the pumps were still there but the money taking place was all closed up, and a huge for sale sign was in place.
Investigating further on line, it seems possible that the place has either moved, as there were 2 addresses given, or you have to go down behind where the forecourt is to some other buildings to get served, there was nothing obvious from the road.
No doubt, if you are a local you will know the ropes!
Good news is that the next place we will pass on our trip is open and does have LPG, ascertained by OH by phoning them. There is also a second place near where we are going, CCC site in Dingwall, so we will take a look while we are there to see if they do indeed have LPG.
We had found an ASDA station in Dundee, which was on our way to Aberdeen, that did have LPG, before we travelled, but the following week it was posted as no longer having LPG, so pumps are certainly being removed.
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You very true last sentence is more than enough of an argument to not require the large investment needed across the club network installing LPG pumps
,The club have already invested heavily and continuing, to cater for poor design of Motor caravan waste outlets
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