Help with UK Aires

[Deleted member 21686]

I read an article on here the other day about a new aire being created in Hawick.
From this I had an idea.
What if I could gather several positive stories about the creation of aires in the UK with the information about how it helps local shops pubs etc.
I would present this to my local council to encourage them to create an aire to help the local economy and promote the area.
This would not really benifit me but if it worked perhaps others would do the same in their area.

So if anyone out there has some good stories like the one in Hawick I would welcome them.

Or if anyone tried similar any tips would also help!

 

[barryd]

I have often wondered about doing this in my local area (Barnard Castle, Richmond) but I guess like many I just havent got round to it for various reasons. I know many have tried and hit brick walls but I guess we wont know until we try.

Perhaps I will get my finger out now and have a go!

Good luck!

 

[robjk]

I read an article on here the other day about a new aire being created in Hawick.
From this I had an idea.
What if I could gather several positive stories about the creation of aires in the UK with the information about how it helps local shops pubs etc.
I would present this to my local council to encourage them to create an aire to help the local economy and promote the area.
This would not really benifit me but if it worked perhaps others would do the same in their area.

So if anyone out there has some good stories like the one in Hawick I would welcome them.

Or if anyone tried similar any tips would also help!

Hi The best example I can give you is Powys county council who have signs in all of their car parks to say that over night sleeping is allowed 1 night in 7 and I have used these car parks a few times.
I wish you the best of luck with your try with your local council as I have tried many times with my local council every time a big event comes up and get no reply at all.
You must remember that local camp site owners have more clout with councils than we do and have more friends in the council's

Best of luck
Rob

 

[Firefox]

Good luck with it, but put yourself in the position of a council which is making budget cuts.

In some instances providing aires will cost money. In the middle of a recession when they are making cuts in essential services they are not going to be very receptive about new spending suggestions, so there will be more productive times to pursue this.

 

[Deleted member 21686]

Hi The best example I can give you is Powys county council who have signs in all of their car parks to say that over night sleeping is allowed 1 night in 7 and I have used these car parks a few times.
I wish you the best of luck with your try with your local council as I have tried many times with my local council every time a big event comes up and get no reply at all.
You must remember that local camp site owners have more clout with councils than we do and have more friends in the council's

Best of luck
Rob

Hi Rob
I am based in Rhymney valley and thought to lobby my local council to either create an aire in Caerphilly to promote the town and the castle which is superb. This would help local shops and pubs. We have very few camp sites in the area and none near Caerphilly town itself.
At the very least they may provide some bigger spaces and allow overnight parking throughout the valley. I thought to contact my local council member for support.
I've stayed in the Brecon car parks and I am aware of them throughout the county and was going to use them so we are on the same wave length.
It would be nice to go along with a few good examples.
I know Malvern area are creating an overnight policy for motorhomes which will probably include a charge.

 

[robjk]

Hi Rob
I am based in Rhymney valley and thought to lobby my local council to either create an aire in Caerphilly to promote the town and the castle which is superb. This would help local shops and pubs. We have very few camp sites in the area and none near Caerphilly town itself.
At the very least they may provide some bigger spaces and allow overnight parking throughout the valley. I thought to contact my local council member for support.
I've stayed in the Brecon car parks and I am aware of them throughout the county and was going to use them so we are on the same wave length.
It would be nice to go along with a few good examples.
I know Malvern area are creating an overnight policy for motorhomes which will probably include a charge.

I have contacted Swansea city council tourism / tourism Wales and both have ignored every email except Swansea replied to say over night sleeping is not allowed in Swansea car parks. ( which no signs say that).
My last attempt was last year to try and promote over night stays for xmas water front event with yet again no reply.

Rob

 

[northernspirit2001]

I take my hat off to those attempting this and sincerely wish you good fortune.

I am however cynical, knowing how blinkered most people are (NIMBY etc etc)

An idea might be to produce a standard letter on here that everyone can print off and sent to their local council/MP/parish council etc.

Ideas for content could be suggested on this thread.

As suggested, explaining the benefit to local business is important. Also explaining that Wild Campers have a code regarding leaving no waste behind, avoid causing any nuisance etc etc.

 

[Deleted member 21686]

Good luck with it, but put yourself in the position of a council which is making budget cuts.

In some instances providing aires will cost money. In the middle of a recession when they are making cuts in essential services they are not going to be very receptive about new spending suggestions, so there will be more productive times to pursue this.

A very good point Firefox but Powys allow overnighting in their car parks so it costs them nothing. Yet they bring more people into the towns.

Perhaps Aires may be ambitious at first but allowing overnight parking first would get them in the right frame of mind.

It is still worth pointing out the positives with nothing to lose.

 

[maureenandtom]

I wish you luck with your attempt. I've had a small experience of attempting to do the same but I'll not be of much help to you because I've had no success. TBear also made a good effort and we both documented our work on the site here. If you look them up you might get ideas - maybe even ideas of what not to do; like I said, we were unsuccessful.

The way I went about it was to produce my idea of a sales document. Twice it got to tourist officials who were keen, even enthusiastic. Both times it came to a halt when it got to officers involved with parking control.

I've still got one on the go. This time it didn't even get to the tourist people; it got to the parking controllers and stopped there. Or it would have done but I was told that motor home parking in Scarborough was to have been discussed during January by the council group responsible for such things and I pushed to have my proposals discussed by them.

I was promised minutes of the meeting but I've not yet received them and I've no idea if the meeting has been held. These below are the initial responses from the council's deputy parking manager and I've provided replies to these to all members of the committee. This might give you an idea of what council officers will admit to when considering the provision of parking for motorhomes. The reasons aren't very well thought out and you might think, as I do, that there are other, unspoken, reasons for not wanting to provide parking for us with or without facilities. More reasons might emerge in the minutes of the meeting.

Firstly it would be beneficial to explain the Council’s current policy on overnight camping/cooking on the Borough Council’s Car Parks.
Our car parks are controlled by traffic regulation orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. One of the grounds for such an order is the improvement or protection of the amenities of an area. We have as an authority always taken the view that overnight sleeping, camping and cooking on our car parks, or indeed on on-street parking bays, is an undesirable practice for our resort. Our orders therefore prohibit these practices for all car parks users, not just motorhome owners. As there isn’t a vehicle class definition for motorhomes, it would not be possible in legal terms to differentiate between motorhomes and other car park users, even if the Council wished to allow that, which they don’t.

Secondly, we have received complaints regularly in relation to the activities of motorhome users. These complaints have included disposal of toilet waste down roadside gullies, littering and overnight security concerns. The visual impact of Scarborough’s seafront in particular is key to the resort’s success and it is widely felt that motorhome overnight parking doesn’t enhance the streetscene.

Finally our area is well supported by quality caravan and camping sites, which are the preferred location for motorhome parking.

 

[Deleted member 21686]

I wish you luck with your attempt. I've had a small experience of attempting to do the same but I'll not be of much help to you because I've had no success. TBear also made a good effort and we both documented our work on the site here. If you look them up you might get ideas - maybe even ideas of what not to do; like I said, we were unsuccessful.

The way I went about it was to produce my idea of a sales document. Twice it got to tourist officials who were keen, even enthusiastic. Both times it came to a halt when it got to officers involved with parking control.

I've still got one on the go. This time it didn't even get to the tourist people; it got to the parking controllers and stopped there. Or it would have done but I was told that motor home parking in Scarborough was to have been discussed during January by the council group responsible for such things and I pushed to have my proposals discussed by them.

I was promised minutes of the meeting but I've not yet received them and I've no idea if the meeting has been held. These below are the initial responses from the council's deputy parking manager and I've provided replies to these to all members of the committee. This might give you an idea of what council officers will admit to when considering the provision of parking for motorhomes. The reasons aren't very well thought out and you might think, as I do, that there are other, unspoken, reasons for not wanting to provide parking for us with or without facilities. More reasons might emerge in the minutes of the meeting.

Firstly it would be beneficial to explain the Council’s current policy on overnight camping/cooking on the Borough Council’s Car Parks.
Our car parks are controlled by traffic regulation orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. One of the grounds for such an order is the improvement or protection of the amenities of an area. We have as an authority always taken the view that overnight sleeping, camping and cooking on our car parks, or indeed on on-street parking bays, is an undesirable practice for our resort. Our orders therefore prohibit these practices for all car parks users, not just motorhome owners. As there isn’t a vehicle class definition for motorhomes, it would not be possible in legal terms to differentiate between motorhomes and other car park users, even if the Council wished to allow that, which they don’t.

Secondly, we have received complaints regularly in relation to the activities of motorhome users. These complaints have included disposal of toilet waste down roadside gullies, littering and overnight security concerns. The visual impact of Scarborough’s seafront in particular is key to the resort’s success and it is widely felt that motorhome overnight parking doesn’t enhance the streetscene.

Finally our area is well supported by quality caravan and camping sites, which are the preferred location for motorhome parking.

Thanks for this.
It certainly gives me an idea what I'm going to come up against. Also it gives me food for thought on how I actualy proceed.
Undesirable is probably the word that sticks out here.

 

[barryd]

This may help. Saw it on Facts first.

Flyde Council Press release.

The link is here. It goes back a while and the press release is near the bottom.

Overnight provision for Motorhomes in Fylde

Here is what was said today

Dear Forum Members,

We have just issued the press relase below they you may be interested in reading

Press release starts

Fylde welcomes motorhomers

Motorhome owners will be welcome in St Annes when Fylde Council opens one of its seafront car-parks to overnight visitors this spring.

The prosperous motorhomers will be able to stay for up to three nights in a pilot scheme that will last to the end of summer.

The car-park chosen is the one at the rear of St Annes swimming pool – selected as it offers good sea views while not being visible from the road.

Councillor Albert Pounder, Fylde Council cabinet member for Customer and Operational Services, said: “Motorhomers are good, responsible citizens and tend to be prosperous.

“Many come at the moment but they have to go home at the end of the day. From this spring they will be able to make a weekend of their visit and, we expect, they will spend money in shops, cafes and restaurants.

“They tend to be people who have good disposable incomes – exactly the sort of people we need for the tourism business in the area.

“In France, many towns have ‘aires’. They are places where motorhomers can stay overnight and they typically have electricity hook-ups and running water. You can drive from one end of France to the other by staying in aires.

“Fylde will be one of the first places in England to have one of these continental-style areas and we know there is already interest within the motorhoming community.”

The swimming pool car-park will not have electricity and water hook-ups. If this summer’s trial is a success, such facilities will be considered for future years – as will possible use of other car-parks. Caravans will continue to be banned.

Behaviour will be monitored while charges for overnight stays are yet to be decided. A three-night limit will be imposed to protect local hoteliers.

Councillor Pounder added: “There has been a problem in recent years with motorhomes parking on the roads which is suitable for neither residents nor motorhomers.

“We hope this trial period will make a positive out of a negative – we can get them off the road while using one of our existing assets at no cost to the Council Tax-payer.

“Motorhoming has grown very fast in recent years and we want Fylde to be at its forefront.”

Press release ends

 

[Deleted member 21686]

This may help. Saw it on Facts first.

Flyde Council Press release.

The link is here. It goes back a while and the press release is near the bottom.

Overnight provision for Motorhomes in Fylde

Here is what was said today

Dear Forum Members,

We have just issued the press relase below they you may be interested in reading

Press release starts

Fylde welcomes motorhomers

Motorhome owners will be welcome in St Annes when Fylde Council opens one of its seafront car-parks to overnight visitors this spring.

The prosperous motorhomers will be able to stay for up to three nights in a pilot scheme that will last to the end of summer.

The car-park chosen is the one at the rear of St Annes swimming pool – selected as it offers good sea views while not being visible from the road.

Councillor Albert Pounder, Fylde Council cabinet member for Customer and Operational Services, said: “Motorhomers are good, responsible citizens and tend to be prosperous.

“Many come at the moment but they have to go home at the end of the day. From this spring they will be able to make a weekend of their visit and, we expect, they will spend money in shops, cafes and restaurants.

“They tend to be people who have good disposable incomes – exactly the sort of people we need for the tourism business in the area.

“In France, many towns have ‘aires’. They are places where motorhomers can stay overnight and they typically have electricity hook-ups and running water. You can drive from one end of France to the other by staying in aires.

“Fylde will be one of the first places in England to have one of these continental-style areas and we know there is already interest within the motorhoming community.”

The swimming pool car-park will not have electricity and water hook-ups. If this summer’s trial is a success, such facilities will be considered for future years – as will possible use of other car-parks. Caravans will continue to be banned.

Behaviour will be monitored while charges for overnight stays are yet to be decided. A three-night limit will be imposed to protect local hoteliers.

Councillor Pounder added: “There has been a problem in recent years with motorhomes parking on the roads which is suitable for neither residents nor motorhomers.

“We hope this trial period will make a positive out of a negative – we can get them off the road while using one of our existing assets at no cost to the Council Tax-payer.

“Motorhoming has grown very fast in recent years and we want Fylde to be at its forefront.”

Press release ends

This is excellent Barryd and the sort of article I am looking for.
I suppose from a motorhomers point of view the comments could not have been better.
I intend to collect these type of stories in a file firstly to use with my local authority and make it available for any other enthusiastic wilder to lobby their council.
Well done.

Any other articles out there?

 

[veedubmatt]

thats brill might have to check that one out

 

[barryd]

This is excellent Barryd and the sort of article I am looking for.
I suppose from a motorhomers point of view the comments could not have been better.
I intend to collect these type of stories in a file firstly to use with my local authority and make it available for any other enthusiastic wilder to lobby their council.
Well done.

Any other articles out there?

I am sure there was something going on at Bournemouth (it might have been on the Swift Talk forum but I cant remember).

What I think you (we / us?) need is some success storys. Once a few of these get off the ground they should be able to act as a kind of template that will hopefully fit other areas and councils will need less convincing if it can clearly be seen to have worked in other areas. The Ambleside Aire I guess is a success story but I dont know if it has anything to do with the council or not. Either way from what I can gather its been a huge and popular success. As far as I am aware they only provide a tap, its a tenner a night (which I think is too expensive) but vans flock there as its bang in the middle of Ambleside. I imagine there is never any bother, they are out of sight of houses and I also imagine there is very little for them to do to keep it going.

 

[donkey too]

Our local Town Council is in the process of taking over the Brandon Cpoun try Park in Thetford Forest.
They ahve asked me to prepair a presentation to the council of the need of a Camping place within the park and also the need for Motor home specific parking within the boundary.
I would be pleased to receive any comments about what could be included in such a presentation. how it could benefit the park and area etc.,.

 

[Tbear]

Hi MaureenandTom

Thanks for the mention.


MORGANTHEMOON

I did type you an answer but I lost it. Happened a couple of times on different posts but rather than type it all again I'll PM you a phone number if you want, but basicaly all went well until I hit Parking Department. Ignorent lot just ignored every attempt to contact them.

Richard

 

[Deleted member 21686]

Our local Town Council is in the process of taking over the Brandon Cpoun try Park in Thetford Forest.
They ahve asked me to prepair a presentation to the council of the need of a Camping place within the park and also the need for Motor home specific parking within the boundary.
I would be pleased to receive any comments about what could be included in such a presentation. how it could benefit the park and area etc.,.

Hi Donkey,
When do you expect to make the presentation?

 

[Channa]

I wish you luck with your attempt. I've had a small experience of attempting to do the same but I'll not be of much help to you because I've had no success. TBear also made a good effort and we both documented our work on the site here. If you look them up you might get ideas - maybe even ideas of what not to do; like I said, we were unsuccessful.

The way I went about it was to produce my idea of a sales document. Twice it got to tourist officials who were keen, even enthusiastic. Both times it came to a halt when it got to officers involved with parking control.

I've still got one on the go. This time it didn't even get to the tourist people; it got to the parking controllers and stopped there. Or it would have done but I was told that motor home parking in Scarborough was to have been discussed during January by the council group responsible for such things and I pushed to have my proposals discussed by them.

I was promised minutes of the meeting but I've not yet received them and I've no idea if the meeting has been held. These below are the initial responses from the council's deputy parking manager and I've provided replies to these to all members of the committee. This might give you an idea of what council officers will admit to when considering the provision of parking for motorhomes. The reasons aren't very well thought out and you might think, as I do, that there are other, unspoken, reasons for not wanting to provide parking for us with or without facilities. More reasons might emerge in the minutes of the meeting.

Firstly it would be beneficial to explain the Council’s current policy on overnight camping/cooking on the Borough Council’s Car Parks.
Our car parks are controlled by traffic regulation orders made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. One of the grounds for such an order is the improvement or protection of the amenities of an area. We have as an authority always taken the view that overnight sleeping, camping and cooking on our car parks, or indeed on on-street parking bays, is an undesirable practice for our resort. Our orders therefore prohibit these practices for all car parks users, not just motorhome owners. As there isn’t a vehicle class definition for motorhomes, it would not be possible in legal terms to differentiate between motorhomes and other car park users, even if the Council wished to allow that, which they don’t.

Secondly, we have received complaints regularly in relation to the activities of motorhome users. These complaints have included disposal of toilet waste down roadside gullies, littering and overnight security concerns. The visual impact of Scarborough’s seafront in particular is key to the resort’s success and it is widely felt that motorhome overnight parking doesn’t enhance the streetscene.

Finally our area is well supported by quality caravan and camping sites, which are the preferred location for motorhome parking.

nothing to do with members of your council having vested interests in a campsite.re last sentence

tourist prevention officers all of them.........no regard whatsoever to serve the ratepayer, encourage successful buisness which in turn provides employment opportunity for the local people.( and the town needs it)

Scarborough geographically has nothing to offer other than tourism as a resort,the attitude of the council beggars belief.

channa

 

[donkey too]

Hi Donkey,
When do you expect to make the presentation?

Hi Mate,
I shall expect to speak to the council in about 2 months I expect. The final stages of the take over of the Country Park are now in motion. I have already got the Suffolk County Council Member for this area on board. He was always interested when I was a councillor here and plugged (unsucessfully) for 5 years for part of the park to be made available for camping. There is no camping place here except for a very small and very expensive site about 3 miles away and a pub camp field which is scruffy and again expensive (I think so £8 a night with terrible amenities)
What we are looking for at the Park is a holiday type camp site with all amenities for tents, tin tents etc., for anyone wanting to spend a week or so. This has to be self financing. And a short term stellplatz type of site for motorhomes for 1 or 2 nights only. The area is very well used by cyclists in the Thetford foreast and is adjacent to Grimes Graves the Anglo Saxon Village LAkenheath wetlands, and the two airbases for plane anoraks. There is also a lot more on offer here with loads of eateries and pubs etc., within walking distance of the Park. There is also a cafe already in the park which serves breakfasts to afternoon teas. I would love to get the job of manager but am past it now. LOL:lol-053:

 

[Deleted member 21686]

Hi Mate,
I shall expect to speak to the council in about 2 months I expect. The final stages of the take over of the Country Park are now in motion. I have already got the Suffolk County Council Member for this area on board. He was always interested when I was a councillor here and plugged (unsucessfully) for 5 years for part of the park to be made available for camping. There is no camping place here except for a very small and very expensive site about 3 miles away and a pub camp field which is scruffy and again expensive (I think so £8 a night with terrible amenities)
What we are looking for at the Park is a holiday type camp site with all amenities for tents, tin tents etc., for anyone wanting to spend a week or so. This has to be self financing. And a short term stellplatz type of site for motorhomes for 1 or 2 nights only. The area is very well used by cyclists in the Thetford foreast and is adjacent to Grimes Graves the Anglo Saxon Village LAkenheath wetlands, and the two airbases for plane anoraks. There is also a lot more on offer here with loads of eateries and pubs etc., within walking distance of the Park. There is also a cafe already in the park which serves breakfasts to afternoon teas. I would love to get the job of manager but am past it now. LOL:lol-053:

This is exiting news and you seem to be reaping the benifits of not giving up, if I gather some useful information I'll pass it on to you.