Parking in Cornwall MHs in excess of 3500kgs mgw

[pelican]

We get over the problem by not going there

More room for us !

 

[GJH]

Oh yes it is, one makes little or no attempt to accommodate while the other makes specific provision available based on pilot schemes operated in the recent past.

How do you know that "one makes little or no attempt to accommodate"? Have you actually been in touch with each council and asked?

When we discussed the possibility of an "aire" at Guisborough with Redcar & Cleveland Council more than 6 years ago they had had no demand for such a facility. They were open to accommodating the idea though and the "aire" was set up for a trial period. As it was hardly used - even though some areas of the borough continued to be used by FLTs (which indicated the reason was with having to pay for provision rather than no demand at all) the trial was not made permanent.
Increase in the number of FLTs meant that the situation eventually became a problem so the council has been consulting on the idea of "specific provision" in response. Once the views of all parties are known "specific provision" will probably result.

Councils (e.g. Blackpool and Fylde) do respond to positive contacts (though the interests and wishes of non-motorhome owners obviously need to be taken into account) but they do not respond if nobody can be bothered to make those positive contacts in the first place.

 

[Nyvern]

Praa Sands,overlooking the beach space for large vans £8 for 24h
50.104507, -5.390246

 

[seasideBill]

How do you know that "one makes little or no attempt to accommodate"? Have you actually been in touch with each council and asked?

Councils (e.g. Blackpool and Fylde) do respond to positive contacts (though the interests and wishes of non-motorhome owners obviously need to be taken into account) but they do not respond if nobody can be bothered to make those positive contacts in the first place.

Cornwall has an outright ban on overnight sleeping in its car parks with a £70 fine for motorhomes. The CEO of ‘Visit Cornwall’ is on record in the recent past as follows:
“Motorhomes are causing me a bit of earache as they want us to open up places to park as they’re self-contained, but we’ve said this is not the year to discuss that. A lot of motorhome owners have been asking us to sort these sort of places as they’re used to staying in them abroad. We haven’t got the facilities to put them in and it would be a longer debate about whether we ever would, because we’re after the value of tourism not just volume.
Our view is that motorhomes should be on campsites. Maybe there could be extensions to campsites but we don’t want to see areas covered by campervans and motorhomes.
With all respect to the motorhome owners, they are a great market, I’ve got nothing against them, we would like to have more but there’s a limit to what we can take in any capacity.”

Contrast that with neighbouring Devon where several of the district councils do have provision in car parks and park & ride sites.

 

[jongood]

We get over the problem by not going there

Me too. Not even tempted.

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[nicholsong]

Off we trott to Cornwall on Monday,, yeah… got a campsite 10/15 mins drive outside Falmouth, so if I fancy a bit of retail therapy or want to eat in a nice restaurant and want to park up locally, the answer to parking my 4.5 tonne motorhome anywhere in a carpark in the whole of Cornwall is a firm no… I just asked Cornwall council for a list of parking places ie..car parks etc.. that allow parking of a 4.5 tonne MH 2.98 high, 7.98 long. There is no parking permissible in Cornwall for such vehicles.. wow how to make friends and influence people and they complain that there’s no inward investment into Cornwall. Ahh well we’ll catch buses this trip and go to France next time..

The exact reply is not quoted, but I am surprised on two counts.

Firstly, if the reply said 'not permissible' referring to the whole county, they seem to ignore the principle of English Law that all is permissible unless forbidden. I doubt whether there are signs forbidding it everywhere..

Secondly, from the replies on here, it seems to be inaccurate in that several posts have quoted where one can park a MH, but maybe not one specified in the OP.

 

[Charlie57]

A lot of car parks have a 1500kg limit so why don't the SUV's 4x4's & EV's never get a ticket?

Imagine a multi storie full of EV's

 

[GJH]

Cornwall has an outright ban on overnight sleeping in its car parks with a £70 fine for motorhomes. The CEO of ‘Visit Cornwall’ is on record in the recent past as follows:
“Motorhomes are causing me a bit of earache as they want us to open up places to park as they’re self-contained, but we’ve said this is not the year to discuss that. A lot of motorhome owners have been asking us to sort these sort of places as they’re used to staying in them abroad. We haven’t got the facilities to put them in and it would be a longer debate about whether we ever would, because we’re after the value of tourism not just volume.
Our view is that motorhomes should be on campsites. Maybe there could be extensions to campsites but we don’t want to see areas covered by campervans and motorhomes.
With all respect to the motorhome owners, they are a great market, I’ve got nothing against them, we would like to have more but there’s a limit to what we can take in any capacity.”

Contrast that with neighbouring Devon where several of the district councils do have provision in car parks and park & ride sites.

I am well aware of the policies of both Cornwall and Devon (and all other UK councils for that matter) having corresponded with them on multiple occasions. That means I am well aware that they have taken into account the requirements of their specific authority areas. Some districts within Devon have been able to identify places where they are able to offer overnight camping use. Cornwall County Council have not been able to identify such places within their car parks.

That the CEO of Visit Cornwall - which is a private company and should not be confused with Cornwall County Council - should endorse that policy in respect of not just council car parks but also many private car parks indicates that the County Council appears to have got it right for their area.
As he says, there are sites which companies have set up that make provision for motorhomes. They include sites which are little more than car parks with caravan site licences, such as the one in Tintagel mentioned in an earlier post, for people who don't want full blown site facilities.

 

[seasideBill]

I am well aware of the policies of both Cornwall and Devon (and all other UK councils for that matter) having corresponded with them on multiple occasions. That means I am well aware that they have taken into account the requirements of their specific authority areas. Some districts within Devon have been able to identify places where they are able to offer overnight camping use. Cornwall County Council have not been able to identify such places within their car parks.

That the CEO of Visit Cornwall - which is a private company and should not be confused with Cornwall County Council - should endorse that policy in respect of not just council car parks but also many private car parks indicates that the County Council appears to have got it right for their area.
As he says, there are sites which companies have set up that make provision for motorhomes. They include sites which are little more than car parks with caravan site licences, such as the one in Tintagel mentioned in an earlier post, for people who don't want full blown site facilities.

Visit Cornwall are a close partner of Cornwall Council. Positive suggestions have been offered e.g. Looe is an example – all campsites are miles out of the town, but spacious Millpool car park is empty overnight. Folks could stay there, walk into Looe go for a meal, etc, and walk back to their motorhome, in return for an overnight parking fee.
So, in response to your earlier points, have people been bothered to make positive contacts? Yes.
Is it a matter of enlightenment? When minds are closed, Yes.

 

[GJH]

Visit Cornwall are a close partner of Cornwall Council. Positive suggestions have been offered e.g. Looe is an example – all campsites are miles out of the town, but spacious Millpool car park is empty overnight. Folks could stay there, walk into Looe go for a meal, etc, and walk back to their motorhome, in return for an overnight parking fee.
So, in response to your earlier points, have people been bothered to make positive contacts? Yes.
Is it a matter of enlightenment? When minds are closed, Yes.

Of course Visit Cornwall has a close relationship with Cornwall Council. It would be silly for any private company like that not to. The fact that, as a private company promoting tourism, they have come to the same conclusion as the council as regards motorhomes camping in car parks (apart from those which have a caravan site licence) indicates that the conclusion is probably sound.
Of course it would be possible for motorhomes to camp in Millpool car park overnight but car park owners don't just consider the convenience of one type of tourist. They consider the whole demand on the facility, including the knock on effect of campers on the whole 24 hous period rathar than just 11pm to 8am. That is something which Cornwall Council did in depth a few years ago when abuse of parking facilities by people camping was a major problem.

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[jongood]

Of course Visit Cornwall has a close relationship with Cornwall Council. It would be silly for any private company like that not to. The fact that, as a private company promoting tourism, they have come to the same conclusion as the council as regards motorhomes camping in car parks (apart from those which have a caravan site licence) indicates that the conclusion is probably sound.
Of course it would be possible for motorhomes to camp in Millpool car park overnight but car park owners don't just consider the convenience of one type of tourist. They consider the whole demand on the facility, including the knock on effect of campers on the whole 24 hous period rathar than just 11pm to 8am. That is something which Cornwall Council did in depth a few years ago when abuse of parking facilities by people camping was a major problem.

If I was the owner of a suitable carpark and I could earn extra money by allowing an extra usage that is basically the same, I would give it serious consideration, Especially in somewhere like Cornwall.

I'm currently on an Aire that has evolved from a carpark and now offers free day time parking for Motorhomes €14 overnight and a paid service point. Full again last night so another €420 in the councils coffers, they've effe tively managed the Mh situation by using a pay and display car park machine.

Thankfully some of our councils are finally realising that times have changed, good on Devon, Gwynedd, Powys and a lot of the Scottish Councils.

 

[GJH]

If I was the owner of a suitable carpark and I could earn extra money by allowing an extra usage that is basically the same, I would give it serious consideration, Especially in somewhere like Cornwall.

I'm currently on an Aire that has evolved from a carpark and now offers free day time parking for Motorhomes €14 overnight and a paid service point. Full again last night so another €420 in the councils coffers, they've effe tively managed the Mh situation by using a pay and display car park machine.

Thankfully some of our councils are finally realising that times have changed, good on Devon, Gwynedd, Powys and a lot of the Scottish Councils.

As mentioned previously, Cornwall council (and many other councils) have given the idea serious consideration. In some cases, including your examples in your final sentence, they have found it possible to allow motorhome camping in some car parks. In others they have found that the multitude of other considerations they have to take onto account mean it is not practical.
Obviously, councils aren't the only organisations that own car parks. As we know there are a number of such that allow camping without bothering to go to the trouble and expense of obtaining a licence but there are very few which have followed the legal route. That is possibly an indication that they don't see doing so as lucrative.

I think most councils which have been able to extend use of car parks to councils have managed payment by having their P&D machine software altered to include extra tariffs.

Times certainly changed in terms of increased demand for cheap motorhome camping during the pandemic but, as mentioned in other threads, there are signs that the demand may be reducing again. Fluctuating demand is somthing that car park owners have to take into account before making investment that may or may not pay off.
In addition, that demand is not the only factor that has changed in recent years. Local authority funding has been cut severely in the last 10 years or so. That not only mitigates against what may be risky investments but also means that LAs may not even have the staff available to look into the possibilities in the first place.

 

[jongood]

As mentioned previously, Cornwall council (and many other councils) have given the idea serious consideration. In some cases, including your examples in your final sentence, they have found it possible to allow motorhome camping in some car parks. In others they have found that the multitude of other considerations they have to take onto account mean it is not practical.
Obviously, councils aren't the only organisations that own car parks. As we know there are a number of such that allow camping without bothering to go to the trouble and expense of obtaining a licence but there are very few which have followed the legal route. That is possibly an indication that they don't see doing so as lucrative.

I think most councils which have been able to extend use of car parks to councils have managed payment by having their P&D machine software altered to include extra tariffs.

Times certainly changed in terms of increased demand for cheap motorhome camping during the pandemic but, as mentioned in other threads, there are signs that the demand may be reducing again. Fluctuating demand is somthing that car park owners have to take into account before making investment that may or may not pay off.
In addition, that demand is not the only factor that has changed in recent years. Local authority funding has been cut severely in the last 10 years or so. That not only mitigates against what may be risky investments but also means that LAs may not even have the staff available to look into the possibilities in the first place.

So all these extra motorhomes are going to disappear?

 

[GJH]

So all these extra motorhomes are going to disappear?

All vehicles disappear at the end of their life. On that basis, yes they will.

If you read my comment again though you will see that it refers to the demand for cheap motorhome camping rather than the vehicles themselves.

 

[jongood]

All vehicles disappear at the end of their life. On that basis, yes they will.

If you read my comment again though you will see that it refers to the demand for cheap motorhome camping rather than the vehicles themselves.

So do you think that the people who have bought all these extra motorhomes will just stop using them?

Asfaics a lot of the demand is for more convenient, more readily available motorhome stops. A lot like you would experience if you went to France in a motorhome.

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[GJH]

So do you think that the people who have bought all these extra motorhomes will just stop using them?

Asfaics a lot of the demand is for more convenient, more readily available motorhome stops. A lot like you would experience if you went to France in a motorhome.

A lot will stop using them by selling them on. That will have a knock on effect down the market and older vans will be scrapped. Will there be a net increase over and above what there would have been anyway? That depends on whether manufacturers were able to up their supply. Was that the case given that they were affected by Covid as well? Was there actually an increase on teh number of motorhomes on the road or merely an increase in prices of existing vans because of extra demand?

I'm sure you're right about the demand being for more convenient, more readily available motorhome stops. That was certainly the case with the people using motorhomes because they could not fly abroad, people who are now going back to foreign holidays because we saw the national relaxations which resulted. Those national relaxations have not been made permanent though, indicating that central government doesn't think there is a case.

 

[teddybear]

My understanding is that the increasing number of electric cars are all weighing heavy due to the batteries