The Campaign for Real Aires (CAMpRA) is asking its Facebook group members to “spend a penny” to help establish a national network of waste points for motorhomes and campervans.
Campaign supporters have so far raised more than £12,000 for local communities to build the waste point facilities.
Steve Haywood, managing director of CAMpRA, a not-for-profit company which has over 26,000 Facebook group members, said: “This is an area that will not only benefit all of us, but will help to reassure local communities that motorcaravaners are not emptying their waste in ditches, dunes or, the sea or anywhere else they shouldn’t.
“By looking at locating waste points adjacent to public toilets, where for a small fee toilet waste can be emptied, we are supporting local communities with additional income.”
Related: Gwynedd Council approves £100,000 pilot to establish six ‘aires’
CAMpRA is advising Councils on the benefits of installing central waste points to service overnight parking areas.
The initiative is being led alongside CAMpRA’s efforts to promote the benefits of aires – dedicated overnight parking areas for motorhomes.
Since the campaign group was founded in 2020, 115 aires have opened in the UK with a number of others in the pipeline.
Steve added: “Many more popular areas are now becoming overwhelmed due to social media coverage and the expanding number of motorcaravans in the UK.
“Communities who tolerated a few motorcaravans are now complaining about the number and lack of facilities for them.
“As a consequence, we are seeing more ‘no overnight parking’ signs.
Related: Plans in place to allow 24-hour Caithness motorhome stopovers for £5
“For many years European countries have seen the financial benefits of providing facilities for motorcaravans.
“Our aim is to support and encourage the establishment of more and more aires.
“These waste points along with aires serve to promote tourism, servicing the needs of both UK Nationals and oversea visitors alike.”
In 2020 there were more than two million motorcaravans in Europe, with nearly 400,000 owners in UK alone.
The average spend by motorcaravanners using Aires is £47 per day in pubs local shops and attractions, according to CAMpRA.
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