P P Parking

[OutTheOffice]

For the same reason, we didn’t stop in Northampton, a town not on the tourist map, but one I drove out of my way to visit because I wanted to go to the shoe museum.
Colchester was another town we abandoned after driving around looking for a car park without a height barrier.
When we tried to park at the Bath Park ‘n Ride there was a barrier and the attendant told us to park in a lay-by on the main road and walk back to get the bus. The lay-by was full. We went to Bristol instead.
Strangely, I always seem to remember the places I haven’t been to.

I live about 3 miles outside of Northampton, its not on the tourist map for a reason, whilst the shoe museum is interesting, you have dodged a bullet !!!

 

[DDJC]

The answer may be simple economics and risk management. The economics - a large motorhome with maybe 2 people on board might occupy space for two cars which could have up to 8 people. The risk - commercial and travelling interests take over the car parks - there are unrestricted car parks in the Southampton area that are more or less the works car parks for the courier firms to park their vans.

The thing is, this is a small island (in so many ways. . .) so comparisons with countries like France with a population a smidge larger than the UK but with nearly 2.5 times the space to accommodate them in are at best shaky. Add to that a totally different mindset when it comes to civic pride and community and of course things are more accommodating over there.

It's a false premise and economy.

One of our nearest towns, Sevenoaks, doubled the car park charges for parking in the towns (easy walking distance to the Knole mansion and gardens of Anne Boleyn fame). It was an ironically mindboggling moment, when I saw the notification of the increase in car parking charges, placed next to a notice saying "Your High Street. Use it or Lose It."

The District Councillors who waved this though are just morons. We won't be going to Sevenoaks town in a hurry any time soon.

 

[hja]

or use a nearby site for a few days! That really puts money in the community.

I’m quite happy to use a site, PROVIDED I can take van off site and park to visit the town or whatever. Or use public transport, if available. We don’t ride bikes, we both have some mobility issues so can’t walk far. We sometimes use folding mobility scooters. If we know we won’t be able to park, we don’t use the campsite. The local community loses out twice, camp site and spending in the town.

 

[gus-lopez]

Local authorities and councils are lazy, and just want easy money.

 

[Otter Spotter]

There won't be any genuinely punitive action taken against travellers, because of a tiny minority of screeching harpies complaining about impinging on their lifestyle and traditions. The rights of 99.99% of the population to NOT want travellers to destroy public amenities are of course, disregarded.

Until travellers (of any kind) receive proper punishment for their actions (caravan crushing, prison, etc), local authorities will continue to put height restrictions on so many places that motorhomers might want to visit.

Never happen, so take a ferry.

Well the law has been an acted to give Police and LAs the powers to arrest and confiscate property from travellers and get them into permanent sites, so let’s see who’s man enough to act now!

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[nicholsong]

Possibly true, though you don't know for sure that they didn't spend money there at all, plus provision of the facility is there as an attractant, like any tourism facility it's a numbers game.
For example they may not have spent a penny, I know when I last overnighted in Southwold me and the Mrs spent about £100 alone in food and beer in that restaurant on the pier.



Strange as there's no height restriction on the old dover car park where I stayed last year and overnighted?

Old Dover Rd P+R never had a height barrier for the dedicated MH parking area on the left just after the barrier, but it had one straight ahead, until it had an 'accident', about 4(?) years ago.

Then the Manager decided to try letting MHs in and directing them to the 'overflow area' to the right at the back of the main car parking area.

The idea has been very successful..

Canterbury P+R has the advantage that the office is staffed in the day by some very nice guys, but I bet they would give resistance to travellers.

I know the Canterbury CPs Manager and he is very MH friendly and we keep in touch. They have had no problem since the barrier was removed and probably considerable income from the extra MHs that have been accommodated.

 

[nicholsong]

Well the law has been an acted to give Police and LAs the powers to arrest and confiscate property from travellers and get them into permanent sites, so let’s see who’s man enough to act now!

I must have missed this, please can we have reference to the Act.

 

[PaulC70]

Old Dover Rd P+R never had a height barrier for the dedicated MH parking area on the left just after the barrier, but it had one straight ahead, until it had an 'accident', about 4(?) years ago.

Then the Manager decided to try letting MHs in and directing them to the 'overflow area' to the right at the back of the main car parking area.

The idea has been very successful..

Canterbury P+R has the advantage that the office is staffed in the day by some very nice guys, but I bet they would give resistance to travellers.

I know the Canterbury CPs Manager and he is very MH friendly and we keep in touch. They have had no problem since the barrier was removed and probably considerable income from the extra MHs that have been accommodated.

Indeed, the last time we used it we spent nearly £200 in the town in one day/evening

 

[cyberyacht]

P&R facilities with height barriers are stupid. The whole rationale of them is to keep vehicles out of a busy metropolis. Why would they want to have bulky motorhomes cluttering up their streets. The nearest solution we have at the moment is to park in a residential area on the outskirts and get a bus. Stopping at a camp site out of town and risking life and limb on a bike on busy commuter roads is not something I wish to undertake.

 

[L' Hobo]

P&R facilities with height barriers are stupid. The whole rationale of them is to keep vehicles out of a busy metropolis. Why would they want to have bulky motorhomes cluttering up their streets. The nearest solution we have at the moment is to park in a residential area on the outskirts and get a bus. Stopping at a camp site out of town and risking life and limb on a bike on busy commuter roads is not something I wish to undertake.

I pick campsites that have bus-stops nearby and use my OAP pass, works for me! 
Canterbury CCC for instance, has a bus-stop near the entrance.

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