Discrimination towards Vans and Motorhomes

Bigpeetee

Guest
I drive a hitop panel van for my job as well as my Kontiki MH for leisure.

My local the majority of car parks in the North Wales area have height barriers, therefore restricting access to these areas to smaller vehicles.

I pay my council tax as well as vehicle tax etc yet I cannot use these facilities, the usual response it that it's to stop the Irish Traveler fraternity from setting up camp. ( We are on the main route to Ireland!!)

Is this classed as discriminating against those people whose vehicle does not comply with that of a "Standard" car???

I'm sure that most councils have anti discrimination policies, are they going against their own policy??

There are locks that can be opened for council vehicles to enter, do I insist that I'm given a key to permit me to use the facilities that as a council tax payer I'm equally entitled to use.

One of my suppliers has such a car park opposite, (Pay & Display) but the road outside has no parking restrictions, so subsequently gets very busy. I stopped on double yellows to collect a few items, no more than 4 mins, left a note on the dash as to where I was and still got a ticket!!!

However, I got my own back, on measuring the lines, I found that they didn't comply with the legal size requirements so after a few letters poining this out, my fine was quashed!! Hooray!!

Any one got thought on this discriminatory practice??
 
Hi Bigpeetee,

I agree 100% that we are discriminated against and it is no fault of our own. Most motorhomers clear up more rubbish than they leave (if any). We pay all sorts of taxes, MOTs, Parking fees and every other fee the council/government thinks up but still they are not happy.:confused:

If the powers that be put less into the permanent travellers sites and more into an Aires type system. People then could camp and park more responsible. If they still don't behave then you crush their motors and they are no longer travellers. Sorted!!

Richard
 
Quite agree. I had a Bedford Pioneer some years ago and then went back to car/trailer tent combo. Recently bought Hi-top Transit and converting myself.

Whilst access is pretty good around south and mid Wales I found a problem with a new Tesco Superstore in Walsall where they have a multi storey car park with entrance height of 2m (maybe 2.5m). At least that's one Tesco store that won't get camper/motorhome business.
 
I agree that the majority of MH owners are a very responsible group, it is the fact that barriers placed across council car parks discriminate against taller vehicles.

Looking on my councils web site, they state that they have a "Non Discriminatory Policy" towards their service users.

Here the councils provide the majority of the car parks, so a height barrier discriminates against some of their service users.

Anyone with some legal knowledge got a point on councils going against their own policies??
 
The council have a department called "Parking"
You phone them, they don't answer.
You phone the next office and try get a message to them and they are in a meeting.
You Email them and they don't reply.
You Email them again they still don't reply.
Perhaps as there is about to be a local election my councilor might try to get them to reply.:rolleyes:
 
Just phone the council and spoke to the HR & Equalities person quoting the councils policy wording:

"As a Local Authority responsible for delivering services to the people who live, work in and visit Conwy we are committed to equality of opportunity for all."

I discussed the discrimination against high vehicles.

When I mentioned that tourism was being turned away as a result of this policy of installing barriers, she seemed quite concerned.

She will contact the dept that deals with parking and find out why barriers are installed that restrict tall vehicles.

Se could see that it could be classed as discrimination.

Contact details:

E-mail: equalities@conwy.gov.uk

Phone: 01492 576225

If you feel that Conwy County Councils policies are barring you as a tourist from stopping and spending money, you should let them know!!

Contact details
Officer: George Brookes (D)
Designation: Principal Tourism Development
Phone: 01492 574577
Fax: 01492 574502
Email: george.brookes@conwy.gov.uk

Address
Conwy Business Centre
LLANDUDNO
Conwy
LL30 2SY

Lets make a few waves and let them know.!!!
 
I have sent them an email and you should have received a copy

Richard
 
Of no value to this post but an anecdote on the subject.

We visited a country park in our 2.1m (ish) VW and got under the barrier. Upon leaving though, due to the dips and cambers we were a bit high to exit. My wife and I "recruited" 8 of the biggest folk around to sit and stand in the van whilst we left the park. A bit of green paint on the roof but here we are to tell the tale.

On with the serious stuff:)
 
Luckheart said:
Of no value to this post but an anecdote on the subject.

We visited a country park in our 2.1m (ish) VW and got under the barrier. Upon leaving though, due to the dips and cambers we were a bit high to exit. My wife and I "recruited" 8 of the biggest folk around to sit and stand in the van whilst we left the park. A bit of green paint on the roof but here we are to tell the tale.

On with the serious stuff:)
Click to expand...

I have to add to this anecdote ...

I used to own a boat that I launched frequently onto the Basingstoke Canal.

There's a VERY low bridge across the canal in Fleet - headroom above water level 5'10".

My boat had an air draught (height above water) of 6'.

The only way to get the boat underneath was to commandeer people off the towpath as human ballast - add more people till it clears!

Quantity required - about 6-8 people depending on build!!
 
A similar anecdote to the previous ones.

On the ferry to Thassos, Greece, the guy directing me on to the ferry must have been oblivious to the 2.5 metre height of my Romahome. He pointed me under a girder which was just short of being high enough and the rooflight wedged against it.

I stopped. He looked at what he had done and just walked away, leaving me stuck and not wishing to further damage my rooflight by moving at all.

I managed to recruit a driver from one of the cars nearby and get him to stand in the doorway at the back of my van. His weight was enough to give an inch of clearance while I backed out the way I had come in. It took a lot of hand waving to try and express what I wanted to do. He probably thought I was trying to lure him into the van for some deviant purpose.

I was surprised that the damage was only a bit of scuffing. I was expecting it to at least be cracked, but luck was with me that day.

Even better, I found a nice wild camping spot on the beach for the night. Just the gentle lapping of waves on pebbles for company. Watch out for the spiny sea urchins, though.

40.659578,24.511442 - Google Maps


Peter
 
Bigpeetee said:
I agree that the majority of MH owners are a very responsible group, it is the fact that barriers placed across council car parks discriminate against taller vehicles.

Looking on my councils web site, they state that they have a "Non Discriminatory Policy" towards their service users.

Here the councils provide the majority of the car parks, so a height barrier discriminates against some of their service users.

Anyone with some legal knowledge got a point on councils going against their own policies??
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Pete, there is no law that says councils have to keep their election promises. You can throw them out at the next election but then you will probably get another lot who will act similarly. Perhaps that is why people are so disillusioned with politics these days. But good luck with your campaign.
 
Non discrimination relates to things like religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation etc.

I can't think it extends to what vehicle you choose to own. If you extend that further, you could buy a helicopter and complain against them providing parking for cars but not providing helicopter landing pads.

Basically I don't think you will get too far with discrimination or human rights arguments in this case.

Asking them to let you have a key to barrier as a local council tax payer is entirely reasonable in theory. The only problem with that is if there were a lot keys in circulation the travelers would no doubt get hold of one, so they may not be too willing!
 
I've just got a grump at the local council!! I can't park my van near where I need to work because they've just put up barriers to stop the car park being used by "Irish Travelers", their words not mine.

I'm told it cost £4500.00 to clear up after they went, an extortionate amount as it took two men a morning to do!!

It's cost £45,000.00 to stop them.

Still, I now park on a narrow road so I can undertake my work, causes chaos.

Next thing the council will do is put double yellow lines down the road at an additional cost!

I have suggested the installation of facilities similar to the Aires in France, waiting for a response.

Girl at council said that if Tourism is affected by barriers then it may be re-looked at.

So please complain that you are being stopped from spending money as a tourist by their actions.
 
This problem with 'travellers' really is something that should be tackled by central government.

If you consider all the money spent by all the local councils tackling this issue, and add it all up, I bet it comes to a huge amount.

Because it's being tackled piecemeal, it'll never be resolved.

Central government needs to grant specific powers to local government to permit eviction.

The fact that the travellers can just wave two fingers at authority is what is debarring access by legitimate road users who just want to park - be it daytime and/or overnight.
 
They are not discriminating if they ban ALL vehicles over a certain height. If the put a ban on Motorhomes but allowed other high vehicles then that would be discriminatory.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression that Council public parking areas are in fact the property of the British Subject. The Council run them on our behalf. So, if we are prepared to pay the prescribed amount, would it not be discriminatory not to allow us that privilege. The reasons that Travellers or Gypsies or such is not our problem but the Councils, Local Govt: or Central Govt:, should pass Laws that eradicates this problem, which is precisely why they have been elected. Perhaps someone on here can shed more light on the subject.
 
John Thompson said:
They are not discriminating if they ban ALL vehicles over a certain height. If the put a ban on Motorhomes but allowed other high vehicles then that would be discriminatory.
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then if that is true then places such as porthcawl south wales that have notices no motor homes or caravans between 23.hundred hours and 06 hundred hours shurly that is discriminatory mabey we shoud take it up with the local councils
 
hi.m.home is a car as defined as category m1. a car is cat m . m1 is a passenger vehicle with a special body. but is still a car. the spanish have already had a reminder from the eu courts. their interiour minister as issued an instruction to all to see. try googling instruccion 08/v-74 de la direccion general de trafico relativa a las autocaravanas. you can get it translated by your computer.its very interesting .explains many poblems that get mentioned on the web and gives us the answers . we do need to get the councils etc to abide by eu law. they need a kick up the arse sometimes. it takes time but keep on to them.
 
Firefox said:
Non discrimination relates to things like religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation etc.

I can't think it extends to what vehicle you choose to own. If you extend that further, you could buy a helicopter and complain against them providing parking for cars but not providing helicopter landing pads.

Basically I don't think you will get too far with discrimination or human rights arguments in this case.

Asking them to let you have a key to barrier as a local council tax payer is entirely reasonable in theory. The only problem with that is if there were a lot keys in circulation the travelers would no doubt get hold of one, so they may not be too willing!
Click to expand...

You are right in about discrimination in terms of statue law but the council policy above refers to equality of opportunity "for all". There is no legal action you can take against a council that breaches its own policy but it is embarrassing for a council department to be found in breach of its own council's policy and even more embarrassing if they have to change it because they themselves cannot apply the policy.
 
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