Criminalising Wild Camping

[SquirrellCook]

break a gate by climbing over it; then this is not a criminal offence.

Oh yes it is. It's called criminal damage and very hard to defend. If someone pushed you against a shop window and it broke. You are liable, not the person who pushed. It's one of those horrible laws like "driving without due care and attention"

 

[SquirrellCook]

but if this new law goes ahead, wild camping could be criminalised even if you stayed overnight in a layby.

Motorhomers would then have to use the truck stops that will soon have to be built. If you stop on the side of the road and sleep in your cab are you not camping?

 

[Eriba]

Within the Police powers act the power to remove itinerant,s already exist. Few Police authorities want or choose to ignore the power.
As with many acts of Parliament duplication of powers are enshrined in legislation to window dress lack of will to address a challenging situation.

 

[Eriba]

The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 gives Local Authorities in England and Wales powers to make directions to leave land being used by itinerant groups (section 77). It is offence to fail to comply with such a direction. In proceedings for an offence under this section it is a defence for the accused to show that failure to leave or remove vehicles or other property as soon as practicable, or re-entry with a vehicle was due to illness, mechanical breakdown or other immediate emergency. If a direction to leave is not complied with, the Local Authority can apply to the Magistrates Court for an order requiring the removal of vehicles and any occupants from the land (section 78).

 

[Moped]

Wildcamping as defined by those who camp in tents is not the same as the term “wildcamping” used by those having a motorised caravan.

Ramblers and cyclists with tents need soft ground to pitch up on overnight. So fields and isolated areas in national parks tend to be used for overnight stops. This type of private ground is entirely unsuitable for a motorised caravan that broadly speaking requires some sort of hard ground or hard standing surface.

I would suggest that, with the exception of pub or farm stops where permission is normally sought prior to an overnight stop, most, if not all, POIs in the map are on or just off public highways. These surely are not affected by this potential legislation.

Groups of motorhomes turning up in a supermarket car park or in a farmers field and setting up to stay for days or even longer are real target of such legislation.