Having driven down from the Yorkshire Dales this weekend, we passed and noted lots of layby's, car parks, old road pull-ins etc. I wondered, 'what exactly is the law generally in England and Wales about parking a taxed vehicule in a public place/road where there are no restictions from by-laws to prevent overnight sleeping in said vehicule?'
Does anybody out there know by any chance?
It all depends on interpretation. What is parking and what is termed camping. You are not allowed to camp in a caravan anywhere in the UK other than on licenced or exempted sites with very few exemptions.
A Motorcaravan is under the law** a caravan (ie. A vehicle made or adapted for human habitation). Being taxed as a vehicle does not exempt it from this clasification. However a wagon cab adapted to a sleeper cab, could also fall into the same definition. No one would expect a wagon to use a caravan site for an overnight stop as required by law. Legally you can only camp with the landowners consent. However it is the landowner that is committing the offence for allowing you to camp on his land not the camper for doing it. This is a matter between the landowner and the local planning authority. It does not affect the Police unless you cause a problem (potential voilence) if asked to move on or the landowner uses violence to move you on. To move you on if you refused to move, the landowner would have to get a court order.
If you are not causing a problem or obstruction you should have no problems. If you stay longer than just overnight you may attract unwelcome attention.
In the Yorkshire dales inside the National Park you may find there are blanket parking bans imposed by the National Park Authority.
In practice arrive as late as possible and move on early. You can pull in somewhere else to have breakfact. You will not normally be chalenged for parking during the day.
Do not put/leave steps, water containers, tables, chairs, ramps, corner steadies or awning out. On the continent this is classed as camping but stopping with only the wheels contacting the ground is classed as parking. There is no such definition applied in the UK. Do not leave rubbish except in approved bins or allow waste or foul water to leak onto the ground/highway. If you must dispose of waste water spread it along a hedge line or widely over land where people would not normally walk. Bury toilet waste if you must, but dont just dump it into a ditch or drain as these may be linked to a water course.
John
** Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 (ammended 1986) and/or Public Health Act 1937.
