..another e petition

The big problem with all of these petitions is they try to cover too many items.

1. Height Barriers.

2. Overnight Parking of Motor Caravans for human habitation away from camp/caravan sites.

3. Sleeping, Eating and Cooking in a motor vehicle day or night

4. Provision of water supplies

5. Provision of toilet disposal facilities

Each of these categories would need separate petitions to stand a chance of getting anything from the system.

Abroad they still use height barriers but also leave an area for large vehicles to park where space permits. We have come across many places where there is underground parking which is limited to low vehicles. In this country they try to prevent access to vehicles larger than private cars without considering the needs of families using people carriers or disabled people, never mind converted commercial vehicles used as mobile accommodation.

The definition of Auto Caravan is enshrined in EU legislation as a vehicle of type M with a special body. In the UK we have the definition enshrined in the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 which lumps motor caravans in with Touring caravans, Static holiday caravans and Park homes. Until this is sorted there will be no way forward.

Sleeping, Cooking and eating in a vehicle should not be of concern if it is properly parked within the rules or legislation. In the UK we have too many people who want to interfere with the activities of other even if it is non of their business.

Water supplies are now privatised and these companies will not provide a supply for free. Profit is their motive and they are mainly owned by our continental cousins anyway. All of the Victorian water fountains found along our roads have been disconnected for "Health and safety"!!! reasons.

Local Authorities are closing public toilets. There is no legal requirement now for them to be provided. Getting somewhere to dump waste contaminated by chemicals is left to camp sites and club CLs.

There are many former picnic areas that could be utilised for overnight parking, but because of "dogging","cottaging" and other pervert activities in public places, the authorities take the easy way out and close them off with barriers and large rocks to prevent legitimate access to all. Removing the associated public toilet facilities in the process. Rather than acting against these individuals activities.

Provision for the nomadic travelling lifestyle is almost non existent in the UK, as provision is aimed at getting them off the road and into settled communities. We stand little chance of the authorities providing such facilities for the, non ethic traveller of choice, who do not have an anti discrimination body to back them up.

The existing big clubs do not want change as this would affect their monopoly site provision. Most other clubs are rally biased and do not want any other provision. Forums tend to be inward looking just like the clubs.

There is a need for cooperation between motor caravan users to seek alternative provision. United we stand, divided we fall.

I have signed the petition, although I doubt if it will get any where. I set one up myself when they first started and couldn't reach 1,000 signatures never mind 100,000. The standard reply is that it is up to each local authority.

John
 
signed & shared on FB with a comment for businesses in "touristy" areas about encouraging people with money & time to spend to visit rather than discouraging potential customers.

Who knows, if only one business thinks about it, we have a gain.
 
No chance it will reach 100,000. It's been tried numerous times before and they all get touted round the forums and end up with a few thousand at most. The online user base for motorhomes is a special interest group, too small to threaten the 100,000 mark.
 
Well, maybe we should go international?
I'm sure there's loads of European tourists with campers who would like visits to the UK to be easy and pleasant? :)
 
There are pros and cons to this proposal,generally I support it. But the main problem is landowners,especially the ones bordering trunk routes, which is why we don't have aires/picnic sites on Motorways like our Continental cousins do,ours are a dodgy picnic bench on the dog poo covered grass at the edge of a car park. The nearest we got to a decent stop over is Tebay on the M6,only because it is the only one in private ownership. The picnic stops in places like Sweden are fantastic with clean toilets,regularly serviced,fresh water and some even had an emptying point for toilets. The reason is 'everyman's right' which is enshrined in law. The nearest we got to this is Scotland,but the idiots are starting to ruin it!
 
i think john t and smaug have the answer to this problem between them but i think we are looking at it the wrong way llest turn it on its head, instead of lobbying central government which as mentioned it to broad and will lck signatures, i.e win the war in one go, why dont we pick them off bit by bit, its local coucils that are the real proble given the govermant have given them the powers for alot of the things like height barriers aries etc. we a large gruop of people so all we do is use a councils online epetion method most councils allow people on the whole that live n work in an area to submit petitions, remember early when john said that we are nomadic i.e we live everywhere well that will allow us to put down that we have lived in the area concerned my council just needs 100 signatures to get 3 mins at a full council meeting we do not have to attended this either and it has to be discussed at a council meeting and brought tthe attention of the relevant officers and a report given back to the council on what they are going to do as a council. as long as we make it specific enough i.e a height barrier at a certain car park it will have focus . given that alot of the issuies are the same all we need to do is template the petition and e sign it . i have used the petion service in my local council with great effect.
 
Good idea about going international Marie, but you have to have a British address to sign the UK HM Gov e-petitions :(

Many of the general public would be against these ideas on the the usual biased notions of discouraging "travellers", or campsite owners who want to promote their existing facilities. Therefore it relies on the online wildcamping/fulltiming/freemotorhoming/travelling communities to sign these things, and sadly that's nowhere near enough pens on paper.

I prefer the idea of going local - petitioning local councils. But you do also there run up against vested interests of campsite owners, public opposition, and councils complaining of lack of funds.
 
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Firefox said:
Good idea about going international Marie, but you have to have a British address to sign the UK HM Gov e-petitions :(

Many of the general public would be against these ideas on the the usual biased notions of discouraging "travellers", or campsite owners who want to promote their existing facilities. Therefore it relies on the online wildcamping/fulltiming/freemotorhoming/travelling communities to sign these things, and sadly that's nowhere near enough pens on paper.
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yuor right fire fox but my way you only need 100 sig
 
another petition

[SUB][/SUB]me and him just made it 115 hope it helps :dance::camper::camper:
 
maj114 said:
[SUB][/SUB]me and him just made it 115 hope it helps :dance::camper::camper:
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great 115 sigs we only need anther 99,000 odd to ask for sumthing in general, my way we would have put real pressure to act on a height barrier at a car park 15 sigs ago
 
ive just had a look at it

British Aires

Responsible department: Department for Transport

There is very little provision in this country where motorhomes can park as a lot of car parks have height barriers. Also there is very little provision for designated areas for overnight parking such as aires on the continent. Contrary to belief motorhomers do help local economies. With this in mind council should be made to provide safe areas, with access to water at least for motorhomes to park up overnight and to raise height barrirers on car parks during the day.

the word general is too kind anyone knows its local councils that have the democracy in this area the govermant will just refer to the LGA local govermant ass
 
maingate said:
If you want to do something useful then help this guy out. he has come up with the idea of setting up a website which could be a help when you are dealing with Councils etc. who are not motorhome friendly. You could direct them to this site (when completed). You could also give some input to help him.

Aires for the UK | Motorhome Matters | Motorhomes Forum | Out and About Live
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thanks maingate i have just read his thread with the follow usp

"Then we can point local councils to that website address so they can get a better understanding of what motorhome tourism is all about."

Councils are not going to listen r should i say council officers, they will not be interested and site money time as why it carnt be done. we need to use democracy here via e-petions thats the only way it will go threw the council process.
 
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