Overnight campers at car parks trial
Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter
A trial scheme to allow motorhome and campervan users to park and sleep overnight at selected car parks in Welsh beauty spots is expected to get the go-ahead.
Members of the council’s Cabinet, at their February 12 meeting, are recommended to back a proposal for a trial run scheme to allow overnight parking and sleeping at four car parks: North Beach, Tenby; Goodwick Moor, Goodwick; Townsmoor, Narberth; and Western Way, Pembroke Dock.
The ‘Pembs Stop’ trial areas, available for up to two nights, would – if approved – operate year-round at £10 a night for a trial 18-month period.
Not campsites
A report for members stresses the scheme is not intended to create ‘campsites,’ with a list of criteria including no LPG bottles or furniture to be stored outside, and no camping waste or recycling points being provided.
The report says: “Over the last few years there has been significant demand in the motorhome industry, resulting in increased numbers of motorhomes visiting Pembrokeshire. The parking services team are receiving requests for overnight stopovers in our car parks: parking is allowed; however, sleeping overnight is currently prohibited.
“The issues of motor home parking became particularly acute during the immediate period of Covid (summer 20220 and 2021). Some locations were highlighted – Manorbier and Newgale – where specific on street parking restrictions were introduced to prevent overnight on-street parking restrictions for example.
“There is extensive campsite provision to accommodate motorhomes within the county. However, there is still some feedback, particularly from motorhome user groups, that the provision for motorhomes is not as accessible as some desire.”
Evening tariff
Introducing an ‘evening stopover tariff’ specifically for motorhomes will need a legal review, as there is a need to amend the current parking order because it prohibits sleeping.
“The proposal is not to allow sleeping overnight in all our car parks; it will only be in the selected locations: other locations we will still enforce,” the report stresses.
Members are recommended to introduce the ‘Pembs Stop’ trial for motorhomes and to vary the conditions of the Pembrokeshire County Council (Off Street Parking Places Order 2011) to allow this, to run from July 1, subject to legal process, with a report back to Cabinet 12 months later.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Why are we so timid in Cymru? £20 a night would not be too much, plus the tourist tax! If the local authorities were to provide basic amenities, they could charge more. And what about a Tiaki Promise here? This is a commitment for all visitors to New Zealand towards helping to preserve the environment for the future people of the land. The Promise acknowledges the country is precious and that everyone who lives and travels here has a responsibility to look after it. <https://www.wilderness.co.nz/en-us/guides/camping-in-new-zealand> Wales needs tourism, but it also needs to be much more sustainable, economically viable and… Read more »
As a campervan owner, for £20 + tax per night I would expect some facilities as a minimum such as toilet and waste water emptying facilities and a fresh water supply. I would also expect larger spaces to accommodate vans and I would expect these spaces to be kept clear for vans and not available for cars to use. I have travelled extensively in Germany where campervan/motorhome provision is excellent. Every town and city and even some small villages have dedicated facilities with charges ranging from €0 – €20. At the bottom end of the price range no facilities are… Read more »
Agreed, the proposed £10 a night is a good price for what is proposed. Lytham south of Blackpool has it perfect, about 4 areas where £10 a night in specific motorhome spaces with bins provided. £15 for 2 nights. Yes no fresh water, but there is a chemical disposal in one of the car parks. We regularly use Lytham specifically because of Flyde councils forward thinking, in fact we were there 2 separate nights on one of our northern tours last week. Both nights had 7/8 motorhomes so even in the middle of january an otherwise empty car park made… Read more »
Why would anyone trust the council to operate a campsite? Lord knows they can’t do anything right. Meanwhile they’re opposing almost all new planning applications for private new campsites. These lay-by campsites will be covered in rubbish, blighting public areas of natural beauty. As for the tourist tax….well, if you think it’s a good idea you’re brain dead.
We pay between £15 and £20 a night for small campsites with electric and full waste disposal facilities, often toilets and sometimes even showers not that we need the later, I am certainly not going to pay £20 for carpark spot overnight, even £10 with no facilities is pushing it
As somebody with a motorhome and living jn Wales , this is great! Wanted to go to Tenby Blues Festival last year, but no campsite provided, no commercial sites open and Pembs known to aggressively pursue booking those parked overnight. This is great, but don’t think I will be paying £20. Wales is pretty unfriendly to motorhomers and so I will probably continue to visit Powys (where there is reasonable parking charge) or other parts of UK.
Isn’t Powys in Wales????
Well done to this council as long as the overnight campers tidy up after the them it’s great way for councils to fund these parking spaces. More councils may follow so campers it’s up to you respect it or lose out.
They won’t. These areas will be covered in nappies, dog mess and plastic.
Whatever makes you think that? I have been motorhoming for nearly 30 years in this country as well as on the continent and have never seen what you describe. If travellers get in there then maybe, but they won’t pay £10-20 a night!
Don’t be ridiculous! 🙈 PROPAGANDIST!
Powys affer free overnight stops in many of their carparks and Gwynedd are putting in at least 4 aire type facilities.
Parking spaces don’t need funding 🤣.
Sounds like you’ve been brainwashed!
Should be every car park in Wales between October and April, but its a great start from one of the most popular counties. Obviously have to point out that Powys have been doing this for years!
Between October and April. Brilliant 👏 👏 👏
I couldn’t agree more that Wales should take advantage of the boom in tourism that has and is occurring in Wales at present, however the present anti tourist anti English rhetoric that you see every day in the Welsh local press, especially in North Wales can only be anti- productive. I have noticed particularly in the Liverpool Daily Post that hardly a day goes by that printed on their pages is an article that appears to be aimed at creating a gulf between English and Welsh Speaking readers. These articles are normally written by Welsh Speaking, reporters, from Welsh speaking… Read more »
Oh not that old Anti English chestnut.The tiresome rhetoric about the name changes to Bannau Brechiniog and Eryri.
Seriously? About the only people who would believe the trash you’ve just written would be other entitled English supremacists eager to get what the Americans would call ‘butt hurt’ anything that can be construed as in any way ‘anti English’, whether that’s Welsh people speaking Cymraeg within earshot, or campaigns that successfully reinstate indigenous place names for those that have been substituted as the result of colonialist condescension, laziness or ignorance. Most of the problems with tourism in Wales can be put down to the fact that very few Welsh people benefit from the industry, and whilst it might make… Read more »
I’m sorry but this sounds like the local Scouts and Cubs trying to make some extra money for their funds to buy a new flag pole, as well as having a Sunday when they wash cars. Welsh Councils are a complete joke.
If you charge a decent amount of money, give a decent service. and camper van owners will pay a decent price and then they wouldn’t have to park illegally in lay byes and farmers fields.
And just maybe then Wales can cash in on the new multi million pound tourist industry.
Gwynedd Council are they are or have created at least 4 Aire type facilitates across the county with more to follow if successful. Criccieth, Pwllheli, Caernarfon and Llanberis
The worst thing about Wales and Scotland is the weather if it’s pouring down with rain it doesn’t matter where your motorhome is
Our group of motor homers always head to Powys as the car parks are free overnight. We spend plenty of money to support the local traders who have overheads to pay. We see this as fair.
As for Pembrokeshire council, they are proposing a £10 overnight fee in addition to daytime parking charges and offering nothing by way of facilities. They should follow Powys’s example and support their local businesses.
Scotland charge £7 in some of their forests. And why have a tourist tax anyway, we are all British, well most of us are. Maybe England should charge the Welsh to visit England. Who voted that stupid lot into power?
I think you’ll find a sizeable chunk of the readership of this website indentify as Welsh without feeling the need to qualify that with adding anything to do with being British. It’s not called Nation Cymru for no reason!
This is wrong. It will only spoil the place for others and locals will be in conflict. Official sites only should be used.