Yahoo News Ban on campervans and motorhomes parking up overnight on Morecambe promenade moves a step closer after vote
Calls to seek a ban on campervans overnight from Morecambe promenade have been backed by Lancaster city councillors – but with warnings that a simple ban now could simply shift the problem to residential streets.
Also, future traffic arrangements for the Eden Project at Morecambe and the needs of HGV lorry drivers parking overnight around the district to meet ferries at Heysham Port also need to be considered, councillors said.
Lancaster City Council debated a motion from Labour councillors Margaret Pattison and David Whitaker. The motion called for an overnight ban on campervans and motorhomes on the promenade and city council-owned car parks.
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Coun Pattison said: “Morecambe councillors receive hundreds of complaints about overnight parking on the promenade. To be clear, we do not want to ban campervans from visiting Morecambe. Tourism is very important. This motion is only calling for a ban on campervans, motorhomes and touring caravans staying overnight on the promenade, from 8pm to 8am. ”
She said no shops or supermarkets open late at night in the promenade area. Campervan owners were not parking there for local facilities. Furthermore, there are health and safety risks with people using gas cookers and emptying chemical toilet waste down ordinary drains by roads and pavements.
Many councillors said they sympathised with residents’ complaints and the motion. But the issues needed more thought and the motion re-wording. They said the motion should ‘seek to ban’ – rather than enact a ban now, which they said was a county council power that could take time.
Conservative Coun Andrew Gardener, who is also a county councillor, said: “I sympathise but this motion needs tidying-up. Can we agree to look at all the amendments and come-up with suggestions at the next full council meeting?”
He also said HGV drivers’ overnight parking and toilet facilities had to be thought about too. Drivers had very few facilities including toilets, which forced them to take unpleasant measures.
Green Coun Sam Richies said the motion needed to spell out the need to ban overnight occupation of vehicles – people sleeping in vehicles. This was because some campervan owners stayed legitimately in local hotels, B&Bs or holiday apartments.
Labour Coun Clare Cozler said: “I used to live near the promenade. I’ve seen people cooking on gas stoves and emptying chemical toilets there. It’s not nice. There are regulations about gas cookers and there’s a real risk to residents. I support this motion.”
Lib-Dem Coun Paul Hart: “I support this. Morecambe Town Council has already supported a motion like this and communicated that to the county council. If lots of councils did the same, it would increase the pressure for action. We don’t need any more talks, consultation or prevarication. We need to act. Lancaster City Council simply needs to ask the county to add this to its traffic regulation orders list. Then it will happen. But we need to get this passed immediately.”
But Green Coun Gina Dowling, also a county councillor, said: “I fully support the sentiment to get rid of campervans overnight on the prom. I understand the problems for residents and hotel owners. However, the city council debated this about two years ago and we had a working group including meetings with the Morecambe Vision group.
“I fully expected the next cabinet member to take it on because it’s not a straight forward process. It requires a traffic regulation order by the county, which is not cheap. The county council said other traffic changes might be needed because of the Eden Project.
“There are 72 camp-sites across the district. There are hundreds of places to stay overnight. But people have to pay. This issue is that the promenade parking is free at night with one of the best views of Morecambe Bay.
“Also I don’t think we want to ban these vehicles from being parked overnight in Lancaster car parks? Owners could be having a night out, visiting a theatre or staying in a hotel, for example.”
And Conservative Coun Kate Knight said: “I don’t agree that everything in Morecambe shuts at 7pm or 11pm, that there is no late-night life. We’ve had the punk festival and a recent dance event, which certainly went on after 11pm.” Councillors backed the motion but with clarifications about ‘seeking a ban’ on vehicle occupation and focused on Morecambe only.
