Parking a Motorhome

The UK in general and England in particular seem to have a problem with motorhomes. The general feeling is that we should all be on campsites.

A typical campsite for a motorhome an two adults is around £30 a night in England. We do not need a hookup, or water, or showers, or a loo if we are only staying for a day or two. So we would be paying £30 a night just to park. We often park in pub car parks. It is usually free, but we still spend around £30 on food and drink.

In towns and cities, where we may spend more, many car parks have a height restriction so we can’t get in! Neither could a range rover type of vehicle with a roof box. Why? What is the point.

But it gets worse. To avoid congestion in my street I kept my motor home in a nearby car park. It’s not a huge vehicle and fits into a car parking space. I had a season ticket (£270 per year) and have parked there for three years. But the council has decided that motorhomes are not allowed to be in the car park between the hours of 11pm and 8am. There is already a rule against sleeping overnight in a vehicle so why this ban? A residents permit would be easy to arrange but that is beyond what the council are prepared to do. So I have to park in the road and the council loses £270 a year from me.

Travelling in Europe by motorhome is a revelation. There are thousands of “Aires” stops for motorhomes for free or a minimal charge. Motorhome sales have rocketed in the UK recently. Lots of people are going to be really annoyed.