Caravan parking in lorry parks at service stations
We were travelling north on the M3, from Southampton towards London. We stopped at Fleet Services, and parked as directed in the lorry park at about 12.15, so it was particularly busy. While my wife went to buy coffees, I waited with the car and caravan. A lorry driver approached me and politely asked me to move, on the grounds that caravans were not allowed in the lorry park. I pointed out the large sign directing us to the lorry park, but he replied that he had to take a break according to lorry legislation. I walked back with him to his lorry, to see if there was somewhere else for him to park, and fortunately one space became available.
A second lorry driver also pointed out that we should not be in the lorry park. This has never happened to me before. Frankly, I would rather not be in the lorry park, but more often than not we do not have a choice.
Has anybody else had a similar experience? We would appreciate knowing!
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This is a vague recall but wasn't the club involved in some discussion with service area operators regarding the difficulties of parking LVs?
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Indeed there was TW and we are still awaiting its results some 2 years later despite being promised them.
It really shouldn't take that long to produce the results of the consultation and it has made me more reticent in bothering to fill in surveys for the club as they don't seem bothered with feedback.
I think in relation to the request from the lorry driver I might have asked him to take the matter up with the Service Station operators themselves and move if I could but we are also asked to take breaks to avoid tiredness.I would understand his problem and be sympathetic to his request as it's not his fault but if he made the SSO aware of these problems more might be done.
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Tuesday at around 3pm I was at Wetherby Services, solo. On leaving there were two fully laden car transporters in the caravan bays and yet spaces were available in the lorry park. So it works both ways I'm afraid.
Motorway services have been and will be a problem until there is some more stringent rules and the club seem to have forgotten about their involvement
I fully agree with Wherenext re club surveys. They ask for views and don't report their findings so what's the point.
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Normally the other way round ,where caravan parking bays are taken up with commercial vehicles but the service area personel are reluctant to address the problem ,we went into Maidstone services last month and all the caravan bays were full of comercial vehicles ,we were lucky as we arrived a white van man was just leaving
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Sometimes, I find that signage is very poor and it is not at all clear where caravans should go. Several times I have ended up in the lorry park and I think that sometimes this was because there was no dedicated caravan section and other times because I could not find the caravan section as it was badly signed or not signed at all. Once I distinctly remember, I ended up following signs for part of the way until signs ran out and as I continued I found myself past the point of no return and I had to move on to the next services!
I am struggling to remember locations, but I have an idea that Toddington on the M1 and possibly Corley on the M6 are ones where I usually end up in the lorry park. I have never been complained at, but, from now on, I shall be nervous about parking in the lorry section. Drivers needing to make a statutory stop have a point.
Donington on the M1 has very good caravan parking but again it is badly signed and vans often end up in the lorry park. The trick here is to drive right through the lorry park whereupon you come eventually to the caravan park.
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Didn't DSB say he wasfollowing up on the results of the survey the Club did?
I don't know about everybody else but I always notice plenty of empty coach parking at motorway services when I call. They could do better by making them dual purpose.
peedee
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We've only used used the lorry park a few times when we had to when the children were young. It wasn't exactly pleasant smelling as I recall but needs must...
Personally I wouldn't moved on if asked or told we weren't supposed to be there, unless there was clear signs that caravans to the contrary and as said above would have asked the driver to get in touch with the services operator.
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I have twice been told I shouldn't be in the lorry park. Once was on the M2 and on another occasion on the M5 and a quite small service station. The M2 incident was a bit out of order but the M5 I did actually move because there was an area of rough ground for caravans and motorhomes. My excuse was that there was a large lorry parked that obscure the view of where I should have parked.
I agree that signage in motorway services stations is often poor. You see the initial sign but thereafter there is nothing.
As many will know the shortage of lorry drivers has been in the news recently and I recall that when some of the drivers were asked why they left the industry amongst the reasons was the dire situation with parking and the security risk when forced to stay the night on the roadside. The car owning public I don't suppose give a thought to provision but I see those that partake in our hobby have a lot of common interest with truckers. Perhaps they need to use their muscle to persuade the Government to build more parking areas.
David
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Parking with HGV's is pretty normal in my experience, and not at all pleasant. Caravan signage is abysmal.Even where there are dedicated caravan spaces they are often occupied by inconsiderate cars or vans.
Mway parking in the UK is a nightmare, and not any better in France or Spain (for caravans).
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Donington on the M1 has very good caravan parking but again it is badly signed and vans often end up in the lorry park. The trick here is to drive right through the lorry park whereupon you come eventually to the caravan park.
This is Donington services, caravan and MH spaces. Of course they are closer to the services than the HGV parking.
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There's also the problem to contend with of car and van drivers parking in the caravan bays at services forcing us into lorry parks. The whole situation is a mess and all down to the lack of policing of the parking areas by MSS staff. They love putting signs threatening large fines all over the place but don't do anything to sort it out.
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The worst case of non caravans parking in the 'Caravans Only' spaces I have come across was some years ago at the Folkestone Services on the M20. EVERY space was occupied by 'White Vans'. You could clearly see the 'Caravans Only' sign across the bays I was tempted to park over this sign blocking them in, after all it did read 'Caravans Only', but was persuaded it was not a good idea by my wiser OH! And yes, this problem is not just a UK one. In many services especially in France, where we do much of our touring and used to live, you find a single car parked in the middle of the Caravan lane whilst there are loads of empty spaces in the car bays! I have a lot of sympathy with the HGV drivers who have to take their break after a certain time; but if we all used the bays as marked, in most cases the problem would solve itself. Another niggle, witnessed many times on a drive to/from Devon this month, was that of a single car parked in the centre of a layby thus making it impossible for either caravans or HGVs to use! Why not move to the front of the layby? This is a problem witnessed on those dreadful Smart Motorways that are springing up all over the country.
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Ref Fleet the caravans spaces formerly in front of the lorry area have been blocked to allow cars only. Caravaners are definitely at a disadvantage (recent visit with motorhome.)
We previously had a lorry driver apologise to us in the caravan area at Stafford N, he had blocked the exit.
I totally understand the situation and lorry drivers are having a difficult time in these circumstances.
We try to use the ordinary car parks with our smaller m/h but even that can be problematic.
Commeyras, a single car in the middle of a layby may have been between two vehicles minutes before?
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Great to hear your experiences. Thanks for sharing those. I think our next step is to write to The Caravan and Motorhome Club.
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There aren't any lay-bys on smart(?) motorways. Only emergency refuges. I don't think the Highways Agency anticipate two emergencies in the same place at the same time.
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On a recent trip out with our caravan, (7th June 2021) we once again came across this same old problem at Motor Way Service areas. At Sedgemoor, North bound on the M5 there was nowhere to park up to rest and get refreshment. Although designated areas have been clearly marked as ‘CARAVANS ONLY’, we found cars parked there and even a single motor bike was blocking any outfit from driving into the long slots provided and therefore having to drive on.
This is not only a lazy and selfish act but can be extremely dangerous. ‘Tiredness Can Kill – Take a Rest’ says the signs, but when you are forced to continue driving on because of these ignorant people, it is not conducive to Road Safety.
Could the Caravanning Organisations (and other interested parties) make stronger representation to the powers that be, to clamp down on this and enforce the fact that these areas are strictly for the vehicles intended? As it is a road safety issue, should it not be illegal to ignore these signs? As shown here on these posts, a large number of members seem to have experienced this annoying problem
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Roboman, your other discussion is here -
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/roboman/motor-way-parking-for-caravans/
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