What is an Aire?

[antiquesam]

My idea of a perfect aire in the UK is a space to park in a town within hailing distance of the sites and the bars and restaurants that permits overnight sleeping for a minimum of two nights. It doesn't have to have any facilities but a toilet dump (chargeable) would be nice and a tap (chargeable) would be luxurious. Britain has thousands of places to overnight in the countryside with certificated locations under the umbrella of the clubs and with wilding spots found here and in other places (cough) but I enjoy using Chester, Lytham St. Anne's and Appledore so that I can see the place and contribute to its economy.
WHAT DO YOU WANT.

 

[st3v3]

I agree, but you mean maximum right? Except make the toilet dump free.

 

[Wooie1958]

Yes, it would help if the CDP was free to stop people dumping it anywhere and everywhere in order to avoid a small charge.

 

[Wully]

A cap the on what they can charge Say £10 max depending on location and facilities. some that try to class themselves as aires in this country charge too much for what they are coming close to what a proper caravan site prices. Look what’s happening in France they are starting to be run by private companies and some have doubled in price in the first year of going private.

 

[st3v3]

Yea as soon as it becomes for profit the whole thing falls apart. It needs to be done for the reasons of controlling MH parking so as not to p1ss locals off and bringing people into towns to spend a bit of cash.

 

[Tookey]

Although we go into the countryside I am in agreement with Sam. I would make a trip to the outskirts of a town to use and support an aire, my preference would be for them to be incorporated into 'park n rides' as the tarmac is already there and a bus into town for a visit would be good. In England this would be easily achieved as distances between urban areas are small but in Scotland/Wales I would like to see very simple set ups in a A road lay by with stops maybe limited to an hour.

I dont want any additional tarmac layed, the carparks are already there and as I've said before being able to park when our part of Earth is facing the sun but not if its facing away from the sun is ludicrous. In smaller sea side towns that are too small for 'park n rides' and Mohos park for days at a time I am unsure what the solution is tbh

The above is my preference but would support any aire

 

[st3v3]

Park and ride for us is ok as long as the busses run late and it's all wheelchair accessible. Bus journeys would have to be short as well. We have often woken up and walked the 5 minutes to a cafe for breakfast when we've slept in a town. If that was a 15min wait, and 15min ride, we wouldn't bother.

 

[Tookey]

Park and ride for us is ok as long as the busses run late and it's all wheelchair accessible. Bus journeys would have to be short as well. We have often woken up and walked the 5 minutes to a cafe for breakfast when we've slept in a town. If that was a 15min wait, and 15min ride, we wouldn't bother.

Valid point

 

[antiquesam]

I agree, but you mean maximum right? Except make the toilet dump free.

You're right. Two nights is necessary but enough

 

[mfw]

Hopefully only a matter of time before NT open up places for campers even if it is only for overnight parking would work for me and maybe stop the P takers from moving in for long stays

 

[antiquesam]

Hopefully only a matter of time before NT open up places for campers even if it is only for overnight parking would work for me and maybe stop the P takers from moving in for long stays

They do have some Cl's at their properties but are very often full and are at the top end of the price range. I suspect they will charge quite a lot for overnighting as they are doing it for profit. I do use quite a few NT car parks out in the sticks and fear they will become no go areas in future.

 

[Fisherman]

In my honest opinion what this all boils down to is how we are treated and how we are perceived. In most cases we don’t require aires. What we need is to be treated as normal road users, and given the minimum facilities that others are given in order that we can enjoy our pastime. The uk is awash with empty carparks at night, yet many of them treat us like leper’s, this situation has to end, the status quo simply is not working for anyone.
I am planning a trip involving two nights in Argyle, a night on the Isle of Bute then a night in a campsite on Bute followed by a further three nights on Bute before heading home. So that’s a week long trip with only one night in a campsite.
That works for us we do the same when we go elsewhere.
But every year places we used to go to are being removed.

Yes we have idiots amongst us, sadly there will always be some idiots who simply don’t care what they do, and how it affects others. But then every group has the same idiots but they are never banned or measures taken to prevent them from using the facilities that you and I have paid for through our various taxes. I love dogs but dislike owners who reckon that pooch can £$%^ where he likes and cleaning up his mess is keeping somebody in a job. We see this all the time, yet have yet to see a sign banning dogs. Or motorists who vandalise facilities in carparks, or dump their rubbish, they are free to return as often as they wish. But if one of us does something wrong well it’s signage, followed by barriers. Yet I honestly reckon that we are better behaved than other groups who don’t appreciate what they have. This site is littered with posts condemning idiots from within us. Look at the post with the idiots dumping their cassette on the NC 500 laybye. I doubt if there was more anger anywhere than was shown on here. That says something about us.

So an Aire for want of a better word is simply a place to park, and if other facilities are provided then fair enough, but we would probably still spend one night on a campsite each week as we do on Arran even though free facilities are available there. But if we do use them we always put a fiver in the box.

 

[antiquesam]

In my honest opinion what this all boils down to is how we are treated and how we are perceived. In most cases we don’t require aires. What we need is to be treated as normal road users, and given the minimum facilities that others are given in order that we can enjoy our pastime. The uk is awash with empty carparks at night, yet many of them treat us like leper’s, this situation has to end, the status quo simply is not working for anyone.
I am planning a trip involving two nights in Argyle, a night on the Isle of Bute then a night in a campsite on Bute followed by a further three nights on Bute before heading home. So that’s a week long trip with only one night in a campsite.
That works for us we do the same when we go elsewhere.
But every year places we used to go to are being removed.

Yes we have idiots amongst us, sadly there will always be some idiots who simply don’t care what they do, and how it affects others. But then every group has the same idiots but they are never banned or measures taken to prevent them from using the facilities that you and I have paid for through our various taxes. I love dogs but dislike owners who reckon that pooch can £$%^ where he likes and cleaning up his mess is keeping somebody in a job. We see this all the time, yet have yet to see a sign banning dogs. Or motorists who vandalise facilities in carparks, or dump their rubbish, they are free to return as often as they wish. But if one of us does something wrong well it’s signage, followed by barriers. Yet I honestly reckon that we are better behaved than other groups who don’t appreciate what they have. This site is littered with posts condemning idiots from within us. Look at the post with the idiots dumping their cassette on the NC 500 laybye. I doubt if there was more anger anywhere than was shown on here. That says something about us.

So an Aire for want of a better word is simply a place to park, and if other facilities are provided then fair enough, but we would probably still spend one night on a campsite each week as we do on Arran even though free facilities are available there. But if we do use them we always put a fiver in the box.

Fully agree. Allow us to overnight in an empty car park without fear of a rap on the door or a ticket on the windscreen. I don't mind paying and can understand Chester charging more than Skipton because they have a stronger tourism draw.

 

[Fisherman]

Fully agree. Allow us to overnight in an empty car park without fear of a rap on the door or a ticket on the windscreen. I don't mind paying and can understand Chester charging more than Skipton because they have a stronger tourism draw.

I have nothing against paying for any car parking charges just like any other road user, of which we are only one, but currently are not treated as one. Also we should not expect special treatment which involve local expenditure, such as waste management. Costs to cover the cost of maintenance can be applied. As I said on Arran it’s free at whiting bay and blackwaterfoot. But we always donate when we use them. We are not a special case, just people who love travelling in our vans and visiting interesting and at times wonderful places, places we respect far more than most others do, yet we are treated poorly by many.

 

[trevskoda]

If they had water taps here the yufs would wreck them or leave them running at night or worse.

 

[2cv]

My favourite spots are just places to park in nice surroundings and away from others. In Summer especially recently such places are becoming rarer.
I think that the initiative last year by Forestry and Land Scotland to use some of their car parks at night is the type of thing that would be a great way forward. I used a few myself, but such initiatives must have rules such as a maximum stay of perhaps 2 nights and nothing outside the vehicle, particularly fires and unfortunately such rules must be easily enforceable. In the few nights I stayed on them whilst the majority just parked I saw a campervan set up with chairs table and cooker outside and adjacent in a car park with no free parking spaces for those arriving to walk. I also saw the remains of fires which I think is reasonable to assume were set by overnight stayers. Elsewhere I saw motorhomes parked lengthways on beachside carparks to give the user a view from under their awning whilst taking up at least four spaces on the full car park.
Actions like those above would be best prevented by a few enforceable rules, leaving the facility available to responsible campervan and motorhome users. Unfortunately the easy way out is a blanket ban or height barriers, meaning that the vast majority suffer for the attitude of the few.
I find that many CL and CS sites are lovely, and certainly excellent value in many cases. The problem is that they have limited spaces and with high demand need to be booked in advance meaning that much of the freedom afforded by being in a motorhome is lost,

 

[mistericeman]

My favourite spots are just places to park in nice surroundings and away from others. In Summer especially recently such places are becoming rarer.
I think that the initiative last year by Forestry and Land Scotland to use some of their car parks at night is the type of thing that would be a great way forward. I used a few myself, but such initiatives must have rules such as a maximum stay of perhaps 2 nights and nothing outside the vehicle, particularly fires and unfortunately such rules must be easily enforceable. In the few nights I stayed on them whilst the majority just parked I saw a campervan set up with chairs table and cooker outside and adjacent in a car park with no free parking spaces for those arriving to walk. I also saw the remains of fires which I think is reasonable to assume were set by overnight stayers. Elsewhere I saw motorhomes parked lengthways on beachside carparks to give the user a view from under their awning whilst taking up at least four spaces on the full car park.
Actions like those above would be best prevented by a few enforceable rules, leaving the facility available to responsible campervan and motorhome users. Unfortunately the easy way out is a blanket ban or height barriers, meaning that the vast majority suffer for the attitude of the few.
I find that many CL and CS sites are lovely, and certainly excellent value in many cases. The problem is that they have limited spaces and with high demand need to be booked in advance meaning that much of the freedom afforded by being in a motorhome is lost,

Just about nailed my thoughts there.....

We studiously avoid folks (I'm antisocial and live on a terrace street so crave solitude)

Use of a decent map and finding areas away from conurbations/honey pots are the secret....

And have often traveled on rather than invade someone else's solitude on occasions where someone has already been parked.

Arrived late and left early (or at least been up and about fishing/kayak etc)
Always litter pick....
Doubt anyone has noticed we've been there Barring it being tidier when we arrived.

 

[CliveW]

Have a look at Campra on Facebook, they are doing great work promoting Aire type facilities in the UK.

A combined reasonable charge for emptying waste and filling with fresh water worked very well for two long tours in Germany, maximum fee was 4 euros but included a shower facility.

 

[mistericeman]

Have a look at Campra on Facebook, they are doing great work promoting Aire type facilities in the UK.

A combined reasonable charge for emptying waste and filling with fresh water worked very well for two long tours in Germany, maximum fee was 4 euros but included a shower facility.

I think that's been done on another thread somewhere...

 

[2cv]

I think that's been done on another thread somewhere...

Most recently HERE