Car park New England Bay, Dumfries and Galloway.

I just received a further message this morning.
I will reply to this when I get time, and post my reply on here.

Morning Bill
I have taken your points onboard and will pass them onto colleagues for a discussion about your concerns, will let you know of the outcome.
Regards Stuart
 
Decided against a long winded reply simply sent this instead.

Hi Stuart,

I am rather tied up at the moment.

But please take a look at how Fife dealt with motorhomes, and how they don’t only see the negative side to them, but instead see us as an opportunity to help local businesses. Perhaps contact the Ship Inn in Elie, and ask them what they think of your proposals. And there are many more Ship Inns out there, including some in Dumfries and Galloway. You to date have only highlighted that we are a problem, with no regard for what’s positive about us. I have reported an attack on someone in a carpark at night, resulting in someone being arrested. If we had not been there I dread to think what would have happened.

But please read through what Fife did, and please make this available to those who will take decisions here. Also I am willing to make myself available for any meetings if required, in order to give my input. But there are others more willing and better than myself to do likewise, hence why I think you should contact CAMpRA. They are well versed on these issues.

Many thanks for your correspondence Stuart.

 
Fisherman said:
I would rather CAMpRA got involved here Barry. they have the knowledge and skillset to deal with this.
I see my function as simply highlighting this.
However I will continue correspondence with them.
And if asked for input at any meetings I will make myself available.
But I don't have the knowledge nor the skillset that others do.
This is a serious matter, involving a large chunk of Scotland.
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That makes a lot of Sense Bill. They seem to be well established now.
 
barryd said:
No idea. I am sure one or two of the organisers are on here though. You can contact them here Bill. Send them a link to this thread.

campra.org.uk

Campaign for Real Aires UK - CAMpRA

This campaign is to encourage spending in the local economy by the provision of Aires
campra.org.uk campra.org.uk
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After trying three times to send them a message I am told my submission appears to be spam. I can only hope that a member on here contacts them.
I give up.
 
Just a thought; there are many Members of various Motorhome Forums who are almost evangelical about keeping Aires and their equivalent tidy to avoid M/Homers being blamed for any mess. Perhaps CAMpRA could be an accrediting body to issue stickers or similar to Wildcamping/Motorhomer Members as environmentally responsible people who can add value to a local economy instead of causing environmental harm that ends up on the local population Council Tax Bill?

A fenced off section of a Car Park [which could be funded via a CAMpRA affiliation fee] would separate the M/Homers from the Car Parkers, so the locals would know where any crap and detritus came from

Steve
 
Fisherman said:
After trying three times to send them a message I am told my submission appears to be spam. I can only hope that a member on here contacts them.
I give up.
Click to expand...

I tried just now Bill and the same. I think its the link to this thread thats the problem so I replaced it with a TinyURL link and that worked. Will see if they respond, hopefully in this thread.
 
Fisherman said:
After trying three times to send them a message I am told my submission appears to be spam. I can only hope that a member on here contacts them.
I give up.
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Hi Bill,
I’ll drop a message to one of the CAMpRA leadership team and out the details on their Facebook group
Cecilia
Glenbuchty Stopover Fraserburgh
 
Cie said:
Hi Bill,
I’ll drop a message to one of the CAMpRA leadership team and out the details on their Facebook group
Cecilia
Glenbuchty Stopover Fraserburgh
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Many thanks Cecilia, I tried to inform them of these developments. Possibly send them a link to this thread. This is a very serious situation for us. If we abide by all of these unenforceable signs throughout Dumfries and Galloway then there would be almost nowhere left to stay overnight. Thanks again, and all the best. Hope you are all enjoying Fraserburgh.
 
Fisherman said:
Many thanks Cecilia, I tried to inform them of these developments. Possibly send them a link to this thread. This is a very serious situation for us. If we abide by all of these unenforceable signs throughout Dumfries and Galloway then there would be almost nowhere left to stay overnight. Thanks again, and all the best. Hope you are all enjoying Fraserburgh.
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I’ve had acknowledgment of my message from leadership and popped up a post for approval on the Facebook group including the D&G council email and reminded people how Fife have approached this.
One of the CAMpRA team has a really good relationship with the council and also worked hard with Fife (that’s why so many of the new Aires popping up are in D&G) so hopefully something more positive can be achieved.
 
CAMpRA also suggests as you are already in communication with them to ask to submit a Freedom of Information request to see details of all the complaints they’ve received.
 
Cie said:
CAMpRA also suggests as you are already in communication with them to ask to submit a Freedom of Information request to see details of all the complaints they’ve received.
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I have actually already done so Cecilia.
But can I ask them to ask their members living in D&G to complain about this proposal.
Here’s what I sent earlier this morning.

Hi Stuart,

Stuart I wish to make a freedom of information request detailing complaints made by locals throughout your region against the use of Motorhome parking. I feel it’s important to establish what percentage of the residents within Dumfries and Galloway are concerned about our conduct. I would be much obliged if I could have this information prior to any further action being taken by the elected officials who are dealing with this issue. I would also like more specific information on complaints made regarding New England Bay, were apart from two or three houses some distance from the car park, there are no locals. Thanks for your assistance on this matter.

Regards
 
Of course there is the argument that "some say" the introduction of Aires could lead to more wild spots disappearing. The argument being that if there are Aires available there is no need to be parking up in Picnic areas etc.
 
barryd said:
Of course there is the argument that "some say" the introduction of Aires could lead to more wild spots disappearing. The argument being that if there are Aires available there is no need to be parking up in Picnic areas etc.
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That may well be a valid point in Portugal were there are thousands of Aires Barry. But this country has a long way to go before that would be appropriate. Not that I am agreeing with what happened there, but they have an infrastructure in place that can handle motorhomes, we don’t.
But what we have all to face up to is things have changed in recent times.
There are far more vans out there chasing fewer and fewer places, this simply is not sustainable. And there will always be places were you can park up for the night. The only thing that would ever prevent this would be a similar law being passed here, and as I said without an adequate infrastructure, that’s just not feasible.
 
Fisherman said:
That may well be a valid point in Portugal were there are thousands of Aires Barry. But this country has a long way to go before that would be appropriate. Not that I am agreeing with what happened there, but they have an infrastructure in place that can handle motorhomes, we don’t.
But what we have all to face up to is things have changed in recent times.
There are far more vans out there chasing fewer and fewer places, this simply is not sustainable. And there will always be places were you can park up for the night. The only thing that would ever prevent this would be a similar law being passed here, and as I said without an adequate infrastructure, that’s just not feasible.
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I dont think councils here will care whether its feasible or not. In France I believe Aires were started because the rise in motorhome ownership many moons ago was becoming a problem with them parking wherever they liked so "build it and they will come" seemed to be the attitude and they did! At the same time however in much of France wild camping / parking is not outlawed but most dont bother as there are so many great Aires. The difference being I think motorhomers in France are "valued". They are not here. They would rather we just "went away" or we got herded onto campsites.

Not sure how many Aires there are now in the UK. I suspect it will grow but never to the extent it has in France or Germany but probably enough for councils to think they can say "you have Aires and sites now" no need to wild camp and just ban us across their entire county.
 
barryd said:
I dont think councils here will care whether its feasible or not. In France I believe Aires were started because the rise in motorhome ownership many moons ago was becoming a problem with them parking wherever they liked so "build it and they will come" seemed to be the attitude and they did! At the same time however in much of France wild camping / parking is not outlawed but most dont bother as there are so many great Aires. The difference being I think motorhomers in France are "valued". They are not here. They would rather we just "went away" or we got herded onto campsites.

Not sure how many Aires there are now in the UK. I suspect it will grow but never to the extent it has in France or Germany but probably enough for councils to think they can say "you have Aires and sites now" no need to wild camp and just ban us across their entire county.
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I was talking about the government Barry not councils. National policy.
 
We know what the problem is and it’s just a miter of councils policing it. Motorhomes turning up and staying for a week with the 3 feral kids and mad dog. Picnic tables, bbqs, toys and general Shyte scattered around them. It makes the place look a mess and puts other day visitors off stopping and spending money so inevitably the town loses out because of the slobs spending the holidays at a beauty spot/picnic area spoil it for everyone else.
 
caledonia said:
We know what the problem is and it’s just a miter of councils policing it. Motorhomes turning up and staying for a week with the 3 feral kids and mad dog. Picnic tables, bbqs, toys and general Shyte scattered around them. It makes the place look a mess and puts other day visitors off stopping and spending money so inevitably the town loses out because of the slobs spending the holidays at a beauty spot/picnic area spoil it for everyone else.
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Totally agree, and in the last two years its got a whole lot worse.
Some folk are either just plain stupid, or completely selfish.
And its the decent folk who end up losing out.
New England Bays main issue with us was emptying cassettes into the toilet. But they installed a chemical waste point only last year.
Most of their issues stem from campers in large family tents staying for a week or longer. But it’s a large carpark never seen it even half full.
But Dumfries and Galloway propose no overnight throughout the whole region, that’s a different matter Cale.
 
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