Problems in Fife

[Fisherman]

If ever a council deserved respect its Fife Council.
Fife council started a system for two of their most popular carparks, Kingsbarns, and Elie.
In Kingsbarns they have 8 overnight places and at Elie they have 7.
You can spend two nights currently FOC.

Well we headed to the car park at Ruby Bay Elie on Wednesday morning 26th May.
When we arrived there was only 4 vans parked up. We took up designated space number 5.
Wednesday night was fine with only 6 vans, but one idiot decided no to park in a designated space. Well Thursday night I counted 19 vans. They simply ignored the signs regarding parking in one of the designated spots. On Friday morning by 10 most had gone, leaving about 7 vans.
We were leaving for Craigmead after tea, and what I witnessed that day was disgraceful.
We had idiots behind us with windbreakers out, table and chairs, and a barbie. They told my wife they had spent a week there in April, they were waiting for friends to come in their van, and both of then planned to spend the week in the carpark. By the time we had left there were about 15 vans. One idiot came in with his rear number plate completely obscured by a cover for his bikes on his bike rack.
We got to Craigmead at 7 on the Friday night, it was a different world, only us and two cars. We spent two great days there, did both the Lomond Hills, and enjoyed our visit to Falkland. We never saw another van there during our stay, but the carpark was busy during the day with cars. On Sunday morning the warden arrived to open the toilets, and we got chatting. Well it turns out that on Friday night there were over 30 vans at Elie. The locals were up in arms.

If Fife decide to close the barriers at Elie for the busy summer period particularly at weekends who could blame them.

Here are some shots I took on our trip.

 

[caledonia]

The council just need to get tough. Put signs up telling people if not parked up in designated bays they will be asked to leave. It’s all about policing it properly. I think there’s more ar5ehole motor home owners out there than people think.

 

[Biggarmac]

Much as I am loath to say it Fife Council need a TRO so they can fine the overstayers and the "I'll park where I like" brigade. The problem is that they are likely to get a no overnight parking TRO rather than a designated parking TRO.

 

[RichardHelen262]

They need to get out and fine the ones taking the pee

 

[mistericeman]

No more than I would expect in honesty.....

Some folks 'entitled' attitude really really does stink

 

[Fisherman]

Much as I am loath to say it Fife Council need a TRO so they can fine the overstayers and the "I'll park where I like" brigade. The problem is that they are likely to get a no overnight parking TRO rather than a designated parking TRO.

The warden I spoke to at craigmeade was not to happy. His boss who I spoke to last year was contemplating what to do. He stated that they will start charging, and that this is being monitored. On that Friday night they opened an overspill carpark, and vans even parked there. They have a 2.4M barrier, all they have to do is close it. But I know for a fact that the manager is extremely reluctant to do this. He may even be a Motorhome owner himself, I got that impression chatting to him. They should charge £10 a night, and rigidly enforce the parking rules with fines. They have my full support to do that. I told the warden at Craigmead that I was raging angry at what was going on.

 

[Jean]

We were there a fortnight ago and I have to say I felt so privilaged to spend the night there. There were more than 8 vans but still peaceful. What really got me was in the evening folk were letting their dogs run about and letting their dogs foul and not picking up. I ended up picking them up myself. It is such a beautiful place, it would be a shame if it was spoiled.

 

[Tonybvi]

We were at Ruby Bay Tuesday night 25th - the silver Hymer down in bay 3. We saw your van Wednesday morning. Tuesday night was pretty quiet with only 6 vans parked up overnight. However despite there being 8 designated spaces 2 of the vans were outside these bays! On top of that one of these 2 vans had chairs out and a fire pit burning away!
To be fair some of the designated bays had cars parked in them until pretty late in the evening - I quite fancied your bay 5 but the cars parked there didn’t leave until gone 10pm.
So yes some motor-homers need to behave a lot better but car drivers could do with a bit of education as well!

 

[Nabsim]

If this is happening then what are the council playing at, they set the rules they should enforce them. Overstay in a time limited car park in the car in Hull and you have a £100 fine slapped on you. All done with cctv cameras so no excuse about costs of staff out of hours.

If folk know thee place rent getting polled of pure they will get taken dvntge of, the majority of folk re greedy no matter what they my say

 

[Boris7]

They need to get out and fine the ones taking the pee

I agree people should be considerate and play by the rules.

But fine them for what?

This sign isn’t a legally enforceable instruction, this is a polite notice asking you to obey by a list of suggested rules.

Wrong shape, wrong colour, wrong wording.

Now I agree you should stick to these rules or we will loose this facility, but any attempt to find will fall flat on its face.

 

[trevskoda]

We were there a fortnight ago and I have to say I felt so privilaged to spend the night there. There were more than 8 vans but still peaceful. What really got me was in the evening folk were letting their dogs run about and letting their dogs foul and not picking up. I ended up picking them up myself. It is such a beautiful place, it would be a shame if it was spoiled.

Makes a nice pattern when spread over the w/screen or stuffed down the heater air vents.

 

[Bigshug]

We were at Elie on Saturday and all the overnight bays were filled by, probably the same people with windbreaks and awnings out. The car park was really full of motorhomes, we used the overspill carpark. It is such a shame that it gets abused. we had intended looking in at Kingsbarn as well but thought that it might be just as bad

 

[Fisherman]

We were at Ruby Bay Tuesday night 25th - the silver Hymer down in bay 3. We saw your van Wednesday morning. Tuesday night was pretty quiet with only 6 vans parked up overnight. However despite there being 8 designated spaces 2 of the vans were outside these bays! On top of that one of these 2 vans had chairs out and a fire pit burning away!
To be fair some of the designated bays had cars parked in them until pretty late in the evening - I quite fancied your bay 5 but the cars parked there didn’t leave until gone 10pm.
So yes some motor-homers need to behave a lot better but car drivers could do with a bit of education as well!

Tony the 7 bays are not only for us.
They are not Motorhome bays, they are overnight parking bays.
You are free to park anywhere from 0700 till 2000
But I do take your point, it would help if those who don’t wish to stay overnight avoided parking in those bays.

 

[Fisherman]

I agree people should be considerate and play by the rules.

But fine them for what?

View attachment 98319

This sign isn’t a legally enforceable instruction, this is a polite notice asking you to obey by a list of suggested rules.

Wrong shape, wrong colour, wrong wording.

Now I agree you should stick to these rules or we will loose this facility, but any attempt to find will fall flat on its face.

These signs are not the only ones, there are other signs giving more information.
But if we are not willing to abide by the spirit of what Fife are trying to do then they don’t need to find anyone, all they have to do is close the barrier.

 

[Fisherman]

We were at Elie on Saturday and all the overnight bays were filled by, probably the same people with windbreaks and awnings out. The car park was really full of motorhomes, we used the overspill carpark. It is such a shame that it gets abused. we had intended looking in at Kingsbarn as well but thought that it might be just as bad

Shug did you stay there overnight on Saturday.

 

[The Jacks]

We were at Elie on the 23rd /24th May Bay 1, there was a lot of vans on the first night, more than the permitted amount, lots more.
A guy and his family turned up with a caravan and parked it on bay four, unhitched it, leveled it, water out wastemaster out, dog pen out on the grass, looked like they were staying but they left a couple of hours later, don't know if they were asked to leave but it was a lot of work getting that lot set up for a couple of hours

 

[maingate]

Stayed there a number of times for one night only. Rarely was there another motorhome or camper van there. It sounds like the Council has provided a facility, word gets round on the internet and it becomes a hotspot. If that is the case then with great sadness we will never overnight there again if it acts as a magnet for shitheads.

 

[Bigshug]

Shug did you stay there overnight on Saturday.

No, we had intended to stay there or up at Kingsbarn, but thought that if Elie was as bad as that then Kingsbarn would be just as bad. The photo that you posted of the bigger car park that area was full of motorhomes, even big tents on the grassy part of that area. We could have parked on the disabled spaces for the day, my wife has a blue badge, but didn‘t want to add to the congestion.
To make it worse we couldn’t get a fish supper from the wee chippy at Anstruther as the whole area was very busy with long queues at every chip shop

 

[mariesnowgoose]

While staycations remain big on the agenda for the foreseeable it’s going to be pretty much like this everywhere, regardless of what vehicles we’re out and about in, or what facilities are being provided

 

[Fisherman]

No, we had intended to stay there or up at Kingsbarn, but thought that if Elie was as bad as that then Kingsbarn would be just as bad. The photo that you posted of the bigger car park that area was full of motorhomes, even big tents on the grassy part of that area. We could have parked on the disabled spaces for the day, my wife has a blue badge, but didn‘t want to add to the congestion.
To make it worse we couldn’t get a fish supper from the wee chippy at Anstruther as the whole area was very busy with long queues at every chip shop

I reckon that we will only visit Kingsbarn and Elie out of high season and midweek now.
Thats if they don't close the barriers.
But sadly I saw the worse side of our fraternity.
Selfishness has no bounds when it comes to some.
Fife council who are trying to do the right thing deserve a lot better than this.
They have to start charging, and carry out their plans to selling annual passes to those who wish to use their car parks.
Then they have to enforce their own regulations.
I think they would have turned a blind eye to minor breeches, particularly in these times.
But some of us simply are not getting the message, and thats a real shame.
Other councils looking on, who may have been considering similar action, will be put of by the actions of a selfish ignorant minority of idiots.