outandaboutlive.co.uk Motorhome parking 3THE HEIGHT FIGHT
MOTORHOMES SHOULD BE WELCOME!
MMM is leading thefi ght to remove height restrictions on car parks so that
motorhomers in the UK can enjoy the same kind of service they get in Europe...M
any a seasoned motorhomer that
has ventured across the Channel
will tell you about the wonderful aires
or stellplätze they have stayed on,
respectively, in France and Germany.
These are places, only for
motorhomes, where you can just stop
off for a night on your travels and
make use of essential services,
without going to all the bother of
actually having to book anywhere.
It’s wild camping in its truest
sense, the kind of get-up-and-go
philosophy motorhoming was
invented for. So, do we have the
equivalent in Britain? Well, no, not
really, although one or two people
and one or two places are making a
valiant effort.JOIN THE CAMPAIGN
We want councils to recognise the
valuable contribution to the local
tourist economy motorhomers can
make. Many councils do already
recognise this but if you think your
local council could do more, and you
find yourself coming up against a
brick wall of “Motorhomers? We don’t
want those people here!”, show them
this guide to make them realise how
they are falling behind compared with
the town down the road.
If you think they are still dragging
their feet, there are other options you
can take, such as writing to your localMP. Most of them are all too aware of
the importance of local tourism, and I
am sure would take up your cause if
you showed them, through this guide,
what is happening elsewhere.
Of course, if you come across a
patch of land that is being underused
and you think would make an
excellent location for such a
motorhome stop, you can always
show the landowner this guide, too,
to make them fully aware of the
possibilities out there.GET INTOUCH
If, on your travels, you come across a
new facility that has been specifically
set up for motorhomes, do write in to
let us know about it.
Please provide us with some
basic information, too, such as
directions to the site and an exact
postcode, whether the site is free or
what the charges are, and if it is only
offering stopping points or will also
cater for overnight stays. Even
incidental details can be useful, too,
such as whether there are any
connecting bus services.
At the same time, if you also
come across any facilities you
previously used that have now
closed, or changed substantially,
particularly if we have mentioned
them in this year’s guide, do please
let us know.OTHER POSSIBILITIES
It’s not entirely true to say that the UK
has nothing to offer motorhomers
looking for decent parking facilities or
a place to stop over for just a few
hours...STOPOVER SERVICE
Members of the Camping and
Caravanning Club have access to a
stopover service, allowing use of
facilities without necessarily having to
book a pitch.For a fee of £7.30, fill up
with fresh water, drainaway waste
water and use the site’s facilities for
up to three hours. These facilities will
vary from site to site, and over 50 Club
sites offer this service. Visit
campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/
motorhome-service-pointsGET ONLINE
A couple of websites also give more
information about motorhome parking
in the UK:- ukmotorhomes.nethas a section
called ‘UK stopovers’, that lists a
good range of stopovers in the UK
and Ireland. The website is veryclear
and user-friendly, and includes
information about each place,
including GPS coordinates - park4nightis a popularapp this
year, too - britstops.comlinks to a printed
guide that lists over 970 places
where motorhomes can stay for free.
Servicesat each will vary. The 2019
guide runs until the end ofFebruary
2020 and could be a useful resource.
It costs £28 (plus £3.50 p&p) to buya
copy online.
ÉAIRES/STOPOVERS
This symbol highlights the councils and
towns that have overnight stopoversfor
motorhomesavailable. There may also
be daytime parkingavailable, butcheck
WRITETO:Rachel Stothert, MMM Parking Guide, Warners Group Publications, individual listingsfor information...
West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH or email [email protected]P o