While some local authorities are looking to clamp down on caravans and trailers parked on public streets, Perth’s City of Stirling is looking at potentially moving in a different direction.
It says that trailers, motorhomes and caravans which are unattached to a motor vehicle cannot currently be parked on any portion of a thoroughfare, including residential verges.
However, the City is interested in hearing whether people support or object to allowing these vehicles to be parked on residential verges, which are also known as nature strips in other parts of Australia … and it is seeking community feedback on the issue.
On its website, the council says it’s a topic that’s often sparks discussion.
Should caravans be allowed to be left on roadside verges? PIC: City of Stirling
“Some residents have told the City they’d value the convenience of storing these vehicles close to home,” it said. “While others have shared concerns about safety, access and streetscape appearance.”
The council describes a verge as being the area of land between the property boundary line and the kerb and says the general maintenance of verges is the responsibility of the adjacent householder.
It says the subject of whether caravan and motorhomes should be allowed to be kept on these strips is ‘a topic that’s often parked in our inbox’.
“We’re interested in hearing whether you support or object to allowing these vehicles to be parked on residential verges,” it said.
The public consultation comes ahead of the local authority’s review of the Parking Local Law.
In many parts of the country, shrinking block sizes and the popularity of the camping lifestyle has led to an unwanted side effect in some areas … suburban streets ‘clogged up’ by caravans and motorhomes that have been parked long term.
As the backlash gathers momentum, more and more local authorities are exploring what steps they can take to eliminate the practice.
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If you can’t store it – don’t buy it.
Absolutely…
Shove it in your yard, or someone else’s for fee.
No they shouldn’t be parked on naturestrips as heaps of caravans a couple of times a year and it makes Street look awful if you have caravans trailers or extra cars they should be on your land not council land
Some streets look awful anyway. Ours are mostly grass. Which we are obliged to mow at a cost to us.
No parking on street or verge danger
No way , would become accomodation. And destroy the streetscape
In the part of the world where I live, not every street has footpaths. Council strips/Verges are used by dog walkers and streets by motor vehicles, roudy ebikers and pedestrians who are not too comfortable stepping into a ‘Landmine’ left by the ‘Verge users’. Can you imagine what will happen if vans, trailers and other ‘Collectibles on wheels’ are parked on verges?
And where I come from it’s probably not safe to use the verges anyway.
So long as they are parked off the road what is the harm. If that looks bad I’d suggest they take a good hard look at most council verges. Ther are mainly disgusting already.
It impedes people needing to walk on footpaths.
I think that you should be allowed to park a caravan on the verge at your house.
The option is for the council to provide RV storage in appropriate locations for a nominal fee within the council locality.
City of Wanneroo in Perth WA. You can park van under 7.5M on the verge. Over that can be parked in an allocated parking area with the tow vehicle attached but must be moved every 24 hrs.
Perhaps if the verge is wide enough to leave adequate space for pedestrian access eg 1 to 1.5 m..BTW …If the verge is owned by council but mowed by the home owner this might be a fair trade..or perhaps the council needs to maintain their property at tgeir cost.
No way. Caravans obstruct the view of people trying to drive or reverse out of their driveways onto the road. Also VERY dangerous for cyclists who travel very close to the road verge – they will be hit by reversing cars with a ‘sorry, I didn’t see you behind the caravan’. Like any vehicle purchase, plan to store your new toys on your own property, or pay for storage elsewhere. The road verge is not there for you to store cars, caravans or trailers.
Surely it must depend on the size of the verge and the size of the van. In some streets there would be no problems whatsoever, in others it would be a dangerous obstruction. How do you standardise rules? You do not – you get council approval like you have to for extending your house or cutting down a tree. Councils could also come up with guidelines.for potential caravan owners and themselves.
Whats next… Large MC rigs, already large 4×4 truck and 6mtr caravans being stored on the verges.. no way. Stote it in a lockup designed for such rigs.
Part of the problem is the ‘densification’ of urban areas. Ever smaller subdivisions Many of the newer suburbs in Perth have dwellings with one – ONE – garage/carport and a driveway too small for anything but a mini, and the street being so narrow that parking is only possible on one side. Planners should accept that most households have multiple vehicles, trailers etc and provision for such should be incorporated in their planning schemes.
Drive down most roads in the suburbs and you have to weave through motor cars parked on the street. The houses have 2 garages. ….. so what’s your problem?
Most verges are not wide enough in NSW to park there especially in the towns & cities. And that still doesn’t fix the line of sight problem.
Parking a Caravan or trailer on the verge is a Stupid idiotic Idea Especially if there is a sealed foot path along the Verge It makes it hard for those with mobility aids wheelchairs walkers etc not only that, but it severely reduces visibility from entering or leaving the property directly affected by the obstruction. There are Plenty of Storage Facilities in most bigger towns where you could securely leave your camper, boat or trailer, it’s a cost the owner has to bear, if you haven’t got the room on your property, it’s a matter of public safety. I wouldn’t think a Council would approve short- or long-term parking on a verge due to Liability issues should someone get hurt.