UK aires.

mostin said:
Hi.

I know the question must of been asked 100's of times about why we don't have like french (etc) aires in the UK?

But does anyone know of this pressure group? UK Aires - Motorhome Stopovers & Service Points

Or any others for that matter?

Thanks.
Mostin.
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Well looking at the list it doesn't cover some UK Aires ie Guisborough, that we know about. MotorhomeParking gives better information and Graham does campaign for more facilities. I think this is Motorhome Stopovers just jumping on the bandwagon again.
 
Hi John / all

I am looking at it from the point of veiw that they say they are a "lobby group" looking to push for getting aire style stop over sites in the UK.

Does anyone here know of them or any other such group?

Thanks.
mostin
 
Followed the links & get 'page not found' I remember them handing these stickers out at some of the shows but it was quite a few years ago (about 5 or 6 years at least). Sticker faded & eventually fell off (much like what has happened with the 'pressure group') :(

Seems very difficult to get people motivated to do anything about it in this country, Graham's site has info about how to go about it.

Maybe we should organise some wild camping meets at suitable locations to try to pressurize them to provide facilities :rolleyes: then again they would send the village bobby on his bike & he would ask us to move, being law abiding citizens we would then oblige & quietly go :eek:

There is a culture in this country of not wanting somebody to get something for nothing :confused: if they provided aire type places for motorhomes then caravanners would want something similar. Many people don't realise there is a difference between motorhoming & caravanning. We have noticed though that there does seem to be motor home owners who are using them more as you would a caravan (parking in one spot for a week or two) I think this has led to some popular aires we used to use in France being turned into pay aires with individual bays to park at. One example was at Berk sur Mer (a place we have stopped at many times) there never used to be any facilities but it was a nice location to stop for a day or two, now it is 6 euros & more like a campsite with nice neat bays to park in. :eek:
 
The link given is to Neill King's site Motorcaravanning.com - Welcome

He's not a 'pressure group', as can be seen by the listing which is several years old. In fact I think most of his time is spent running his on-line accessory business: Discount Motorhome Accessories - Buy Securely on-line now.

As far as I know I have the most up to date listing of 'official' UK stopovers here: Overnight stopovers for motorhomes in the UK - but I'm sure someone will let me know if there is a better one anywhere...

I try to keep it up to date, today I've updated some of the Powys details, and I follow up leads which might result in additional ones being added. In fact I've been in conversation with West Dorset DC today.

AndyC
 
The link was relating to the stopover UK scheme that was started by the Motor Caravan magazine, but the links on the motorcaravanning website to Motor Caravan magazine (a different website) seem to be dead.
 
FYI this is a scheme run by CMCA in Australia (RV = self contained motorhome or campervan but NOT caravan, tents or sleeping in the back of a car);

"The 'RV Friendly Town™' scheme is an initiative of the CMCA that promotes RV tourism related services across Australia. By promoting the partnership between the RV tourist and small towns, we encourage expansion of tourism related infrastructure and services and promote the economic advantage to small towns of providing RV tourist specific amenities.

Put in basic terms, an RV Friendly Town™ is one that happily provides amenities and services for the mobile traveller. Some of these services include:

access to 24 hour medical and pharmacy services,
parking within close proximity to the general shopping area with groceries & fresh produce,
service centre for basic vehicle repairs,
a Visitor Information Centre (VIC) and town map with essential services,
access to potable water,
access to a Dump Point,
provision of short term (24/48/72+ hour) parking,
provision of longer term parking within 5-20km of town centre, at a reasonable rate,
'RV Friendly Town' signs to be erected within the town environs.
A town may qualify as an RV Friendly Location if it does not meet all the criteria of an RV Friendly Town™. For example, the town may not have 24 hour medical facilities but will have access to a medical evacuation plan such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service or ambulance. The hospital may be located in a nearby town.

A third category is the RV Friendly Destination. This category caters for destinations, such as a tourist attraction, homestead or country pub that is friendly towards all mobile travellers. The destination will have an area for overnight or longer stays for travellers in recreational vehicles."


From memory the scheme was initially directed at local businesses through a chamber of commerce.
 
Hi,

I am looking at it from the point of view that they say they are a "lobby group" looking to push for getting aire style stop over sites in the UK.
 
rateyourcampsite said:
Hi,

I am looking at it from the point of view that they say they are a "lobby group" looking to push for getting aire style stop over sites in the UK.
Click to expand...

When you got to the link it gives this message.

Error 404: Page Not Found
The requested page does not exist on this server.
The link you followed is either outdated, inaccurate, or the server has been instructed not to let you have it.

Please inform the site administrator of the referring page by emailing motorcaravan@ipcmedia.com
It would seem that MOSTIN has hit on an out of date website link.

It is a good idea but AndyC or Grahams sites mentioned above are the ones that need your support. Contact your local council or Chamber of Trade. Suggestion of a letter to be sent on the Motorhome Parking Website by Graham.
 
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rateyourcampsite said:
Hi,

I am looking at it from the point of view that they say they are a "lobby group" looking to push for getting aire style stop over sites in the UK.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. The link was to a page giving details of Motorcaravan Magazine's Stopovers UK 'campaign'. It ran for a few issues then died, never to be heard of again. There have been at least two changes of editor since then.

As far as I know the only magazine active on this front at the moment is Practical Motorhome (I don't read MMM so I don't know their stance on this) and they are not 'lobbying', just working within the existing system to give exemption certificates to sites (mainly pubs) that apply to them.

I hope that it doesn't go the same way as Stopovers UK but it is costing the magazine money and not really giving them any return.

The organisation best placed to lobby for change is the Motor Caravanners Club, but with the exception of one or two individuals they have no interest in anything but rallying.

AndyC
 
AndyC said:
As far as I know the only magazine active on this front at the moment is Practical Motorhome (I don't read MMM so I don't know their stance on this) and they are not 'lobbying', just working within the existing system to give exemption certificates to sites (mainly pubs) that apply to them.

I hope that it doesn't go the same way as Stopovers UK but it is costing the magazine money and not really giving them any return.

The organisation best placed to lobby for change is the Motor Caravanners Club, but with the exception of one or two individuals they have no interest in anything but rallying.

AndyC
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MMM do not seem to be pushing this issue at all.

MCC+Practical Motorhome do not seem to be pushing it much other than on the page of the magazine. I have not noticed the MCC pushing it in their magazine.

I contacted Durham County Council and got a result in that they wanted people to volunteer to act as consultees on the matter as they are revewing the position in all of their parking areas. I passed this info onto Graham at Motorhome Parking.

If anyone is interested in following this up then look at the correspondence in Motorhome Parking and contact the County Council.

I was unable to follow this through after I hit the road full-time.

This I feel the way to proceed is by contacting Councils as AndyC has done and also contacting the locals that would benefit by contact direct or throgh the Chamber of Commerce for that area and getting them to add their support.

How about WildCamping becoming an exempted organisation, now that we have a supporter base that would constitute a membership. It would then provide an opening to lobby Natural England as an interested body. How about it ADMIN? There are enough of us on here with the necessary knowledge to pull it off.

We all know pubs and sites that could be issued with an exemption like the MCC and Practical Motorhome Scheme is doing. We could even support each other in this venture.
 
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John Thompson said:
I contacted Durham County Council and got a result in that they wanted people to volunteer to act as consultees on the matter as they are revewing the position in all of their parking areas. I passed this info onto Graham at Motorhome Parking.

If anyone is interested in following this up then look at the correspondence in Motorhome Parking and contact the County Council.
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I can't see the correspondence on Graham's site - I'd like to follow it up, could you pass the details on to me?
How about WildCamping becoming an exempted organisation, now that we have a supporter base that would constitute a membership. It would then provide an opening to lobby Natural England as an interested body. How about it ADMIN? There are enough of us on here with the necessary knowledge to pull it off.

We all know pubs and sites that could be issued with an exemption like the MCC and Practical Motorhome Scheme is doing. We could even support each other in this venture.
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I think that this would be very difficult, to be able to issue Paragraph 5 Certificates requires a formally constituted organisation, and Natural England would need to be satisfied that the organisation and resources were in place to administer the certification process.

AndyC
 
AndyC said:
I can't see the correspondence on Graham's site - I'd like to follow it up, could you pass the details on to me?
I think that this would be very difficult, to be able to issue Paragraph 5 Certificates requires a formally constituted organisation, and Natural England would need to be satisfied that the organisation and resources were in place to administer the certification process.

AndyC
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Hi Andy

I will try to find the correspondence. Joan however shredded a lot of original letters just before we hit the road at the beginning of March. If not I will see if I have a record on the back up of my data. It may take a while.

It would be no problem to set up a constitution. I have successfully sorted the whole process for two different groups for para 4, 5 and 6 exemptions from scratch.

It is not as difficult as some would have you believe. ACCEO claimed it could not be done and then protested to Natural England when they granted it to us. These people have all done it to some extent. http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/caravan-exempt_tcm6-10046.pdf

Motorhomefacts have an exemption.

Another point is, The Camping and Caravaning Club has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Highways Agency. Under the terms of the agreement, The Club and the Highways Agency will develop a number of initiatives and share experiences and expertise for the benefit of England's road network.

We need to be contacting the C&CC requesting them to promote the issues of Aires in these discussions.
 
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yerrra....real rip off a 30 quid louse on a par with cc and ccc an'all!
 
MCC is in threall to the sites...always WAS-ALWAYS WILL BE AND THAT'S WHY i STOPPED WRITING FOR IT YEARS BACK.....
 
Hi all.

Sorry for the lack of input but i've just been away in the van for a weeks Wild Camping :)

I've had an email back from Motor Caravan to confirm that it was an old link & they do not have anything to do with the group anymore.

Thanks.
Mostin.
 
my bold and underlines

John Thompson said:
Hi Andy

It would be no problem to set up a constitution. I have successfully sorted the whole process for two different groups for para 4, 5 and 6 exemptions from scratch.

It is not as difficult as some would have you believe. ACCEO claimed it could not be done and then protested to Natural England when they granted it to us. They will throw a hissy fit if you don't pay them for what you can do yourself :D
Motorhomefacts have an exemption. I believe that the Self Build Motor Caravanners Club also have soemthing like this but I'm not sure who from

Another point is, The Camping and Caravaning Club has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Highways Agency. Under the terms of the agreement, The Club and the Highways Agency will develop a number of initiatives and share experiences and expertise for the benefit of England's road network. I reckon we will all be dead and buried before that lot come to any decision
We need to be contacting the C&CC requesting them to promote the issues of Aires in these discussions.
Click to expand...
 
They will throw a hissy fit if you don't pay them for what you can do yourself
Click to expand...
Who will?

I believe that the Self Build Motor Caravanners Club also have soemthing like this but I'm not sure who from
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That will be from Natural England who are the only ones that can grant exemption certificates to organisations wanting to run rallies in England.

AndyC
 
The link in my first post will show who has exemptions and what they hold.
 
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