The free camping debate is one that generates plenty of heat here in Australia, but over in Britain it is about to escalate into a courtroom showdown.
For months, motorhome owners there have played cat and mouse with Lincolnshire County Council which says it has ‘had enough’ of people camping out in its car parks.
The council on Britain’s east coast says the free camping motorhomers are damaging the region’s tourism industry. It has previously tried erecting height barricades to keep motorhomes out of its car parks, but these have been repeatedly vandalised.
… now you don’t!
Now, the authority is set to send out court summonses to about 40 people, who are alleged to have defied new bylaws prohibiting overnight parking in specific car parks. If found guilty, the motorhome owners could face fines of up to £500.
“We have simply had enough of the continuing situation that has gone on since the beginning of the warmer weather,” Colin Davie, the council’s executive member for tourism, told the BBC. “Last year, we had about 50 people camping there almost permanently but these are meant to be facilities for everyone to enjoy. We will not let a small group of people harm our tourism industry.”
However, ‘right to roam’ campaigners say overnight parking should be allowed and have staged a number of sit-in protests over the issue during the past six months. They say the threatened prosecutions will have a negative impact on Lincolnshire’s valuable tourism industry.
“It is generally the older generation who have motorhomes and they are the ones with spare money,” the Camping Club UK said in a statement: “If they are being pushed away, that money is going to go elsewhere. If they don’t want it all over the coastline then they should set up one specific car park with a fee to stay overnight, even if it is £7 or £10.”
The legal threat is the latest attempt by Lincolnshire County Council to prevent overnight parking. It has previously put in barriers to stop high-sided vehicles like motorhomes accessing Lincolnshire’s five coastal car parks. These were apparently ‘cut down’ and rendered useless, costing the taxpayer more than £35,000.
24/48 hour camping should be allowed at all out of town parking sites if for no other reason than to abide by the various Government promotions to avoid driving when tired or exhausted.
I believe the tourist industry will actually increase if these councils actually encourage caravan and motorhome travelers.
24/48 hour free camping is a great idea if the councils looked into the grey nomads side they would find that they are the ones who bring their money into the shops and help keep the small town alive, there is always some who don’t follow the rules but most do so come on give us a go and keep us safe on the long road,we need free camping and the towns need our business.
25 years ago they were putting up height barriers to keep motor homes and hightop campervans out of IN town car parks and supermarket car parks.
Frankly I am surprised it has taken this long for them to try to barricade off the coastline
Reading the other comments, it only makes sense to allow 24/48 hour free camping. Of course there are people who wouldn’t spend money in the town, but even if they were to pay to stay in a park chances are they wouldn’t spend anything anyway, BUT having free parking would free up some of their cash and they would be more likely to spend some money in the town. Small country towns do need help and this is one way to do it. I just think if we in small towns extend that hand of friendship surely some good must come of it.