Councillors have agreed a motion which could limit where campervans and motorhomes can park overnight after owners were accused of “taking the mick”.
Redcar and Cleveland Mayor, Councillor Stuart Smith told a council meeting that “at the last count” he had counted 45 leisure vehicles on Marine Parade, in Saltburn.
Saltburn ward Councillor Philip Thomson said many residents had expressed concern about the volume of campers being parked overnight in residential areas and along Marine Parade and Glenside in the town.
Cllr Thomson requested that Redcar and Cleveland Council consider new ‘no overnight parking’ restrictions and said there should be a full public consultation to assess the views of all interested parties.
Thomson’s motion said: “The concentration of motorhomes has radically altered the ambience of areas of the borough and has impacted on the use of the highway, in some cases detracting from an area’s amenities and resulting in many instances of abuse of the local environment.”
It said the council should introduce the parking bans at the earliest opportunity, but by April 2024 at the latest.
NEED TO KNOW: Last year council chiefs did a U-turn over plans to restrict campervan and motorhome parking north and south of Cowbar Lane in Scarborough, North Yorkshire after a raft of objections. Instead, the council began consulting on a public spaces protection order to clampdown on anti-social behaviour. The order is currently being introduced and will include offences around fires, urination and defecation, as well as disposal of so-called grey waste.
Coun Steve Kay said some motorhome users were “taking the mick”.
He said: “It seems to be the way of the world nowadays that if people see a chink in your armour, they are straight through it.
“It is unreasonable to camp out for days on end or possibly weeks on the front at any of our coastal destinations – it is wrong and out of order.
“I support Coun Thomson totally and the officers will get the message.”
Cllr Thomson acknowledged to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that there wasn’t adequate provision for campervans and motorhomes in the area.
It was previously suggested that Majuba Road car park in Coatham, Redcar was to be made campervan ‘friendly’ with toilet facilities for those wanting to stay overnight.
However, 18 months later the plans remain on hold.
Cllr Thomson said: “I was very pleased that the motion got unanimous support from fellow members.
“In the motion I did make the point that we should be welcoming to all visitors and where motorhome owners arrive appropriate facilities should be in place.
“On the one hand we are keen to attract visitors, but we aren’t providing the necessary infrastructure within a timescale that members might welcome.
“It isn’t about just saying you can’t park here.
“We need a disincentive through legislation and an incentive through adequate and appropriate provision, of which there is not.
“The way forward is not necessarily to stop overnight parking, we need to address the other issues such as pay to park and offering better facilities.”
Cllr Alec Brown, the Labour group leader, said: “This is another groundhog issue that we have.
“It is a shame that a borough which relies on tourism doesn’t have better provision for campervans and motorhomes.
“Broadly speaking we do support this motion, but with the caveat that we don’t appear to the wider world that we are closed off to visitors.”
Liberal Democrat group leader and cabinet member for finance, Councillor Glyn Nightingale claimed Cllr Thomson’s motion was vague and needed to be more precise.
He said: “I am sympathetic in terms of the overall objective, but let’s have motions that tell officers what we want them to do.”
Share your comments and experiences below.
9 comments
So get rid of those people that come to your area and spend money supporting the local businesses.
Brilliant idea that, you want tourist money, I’m sure they will find better.
So exactly how much do the owners of the vans that turn up for a week, park outside someone’s front window, take up 3 day tripper car parking bays for the duration, then proceed to sit in their van watching TV, use the council bins for their rubbish and empty their over night bucket of piss down the road gully every morning contribute? 🤔
As a person with a motorhome, who has used roadside parking on occasions but also used campsites too. I never ever dump any form of piss ,shit or any other waste down any gully. I think I speak for most people who own their own motorhome with toilet/shower facilities. so please don’t tarnish everyone with the same brush.
It’s easy, 48 hour maximum stay (no return for 24 hours) you now have motorhome users able to stay and see your towns delights.
Good council planning here,short of brass but turn it away
I agree with the article in principle
I own an 8m Hymer and wouldn’t park it anywhere that upsets or spoils an area especially residential.
There are loads of pubs now that allow overnight parking often free, courtesy should prevail and go and spend a bit of money in the pub !
May councils are allowing overnight parking at a nominal charge – use them, more will appear
It must be nice for a council to have so much money that they can turn away tourist money ????? Charge a nominal fee to park put a time limit on but please let’s just live and let live life is to short .
Vans only spend at the local Sainsburys – hardly helping the local economy. And vans cost us all when the rubbish has to be removed, and local people from nearby areas who do spend money in restaurants and local shops can’t park thanks to vans taking up too many spots. Restaurants are packed with locals who dress properly and spend. Let’s not pretend buying a beer makes a difference here. Proper holiday makers who keep locals in jobs via holiday lets etc more than welcome.
Saltburn is a residential area – who wants someone holidaying out front, taking up two or three car spots, not using local accommodation and restaurants because they pop up to Sainsburys (who don’t need the money) and cook in their vans? It’s not a secluded beauty spot – it was originally developed as an upmarket resort – no camping etc. now it’s fence residential. Why ruin it because you want to selfishly have a holiday on someone else’s rates. Go somewhere appropriate, and pay for proper facilities.