Parking ticket dilemma…

[Lequimper]

Evening all, we spent the day in Hay-on-Wye and surrounding muddy fields. We parked up in the main Oxford Road public car park.

This morning we were not sure what to pay for a full day. The sign (attached) indicates that cars pay £4 for the day, motorhomes £8 - admittedly good value if you are staying overnight (which we are not) as no charge after 6pm

What would you have paid to park your VW Campervan for the day? I don’t consider us a Motorhome; we are certainly not over 3.5t and we fit in a single space. We are no bigger than a big car.

In the end we paid the £8 to avoid the risk, but seeing a couple of motorhones parked clearly across two bays, I wonder if we needed to.

Any thoughts as I am sure this is not just an issue at this car park. Should we just accept that we are a Campervan/Motorhome and not take the risk that the distinction may be lost on the person checking the tickets and dishing out the fines.

TIA

 

[Cwcltd]

We park there often, and always go for ‘A’; van under 3 ton, not received a parking ticket so far.

 

[Corradobrit]

The Ocean weighs more than 3t so you paid the appropriate class per that sign ie van >3t. Had you chosen A and parked in Portree. --> ticket.

 

[TripleBee]

The Ocean weighs more than 3t so you paid the appropriate class per that sign ie van >3t. Had you chosen A and parked in Portree. --> ticket.

I don't know about the newer vans, but weighs only 3t. + 100 kg possible because of the tow bar, but that is only when something is attached to it. The 5-seater Oceans were 3080kg.
Only if they check the number plate they could find out it is a motorhome. Or if they look inside.

 

[KevH]

Given that the sign does not distinguish between a motorhome and a campervan, I would have erred on the side of caution and paid the higher price.
I would have been miffed though, to say the least, as that sign is SO ambiguous, but it really isn’t worth the hassle of fighting a ticket IMO.

 

[Steve1]

Evening all, we spent the day in Hay-on-Wye and surrounding muddy fields. We parked up in the main Oxford Road public car park.

This morning we were not sure what to pay for a full day. The sign (attached) indicates that cars pay £4 for the day, motorhomes £8 - admittedly good value if you are staying overnight (which we are not) as no charge after 6pm

What would you have paid to park your VW Campervan for the day? I don’t consider us a Motorhome; we are certainly not over 3.5t and we fit in a single space. We are no bigger than a big car.

In the end we paid the £8 to avoid the risk, but seeing a couple of motorhones parked clearly across two bays, I wonder if we needed to.

Any thoughts as I am sure this is not just an issue at this car park. Should we just accept that we are a Campervan/Motorhome and not take the risk that the distinction may be lost on the person checking the tickets and dishing out the fines.

TIA
View attachment 121676

A campervan is a motorhome by pretty much any definition you look at, perhaps just a small one. So I would have gone for the £8 especially since it doesn't seem like an unreasonable cost for over 4 hours anyway.

 

[Lequimper]

A campervan is a motorhome by pretty much any definition you look at, perhaps just a small one. So I would have gone for the £8 especially since it doesn't seem like an unreasonable cost for over 4 hours anyway.

Yes I tend to agree. I suppose what you are paying for is a space to park your vehicle. Almost all motorhomes will need two spaces hence double the charge, whereas our van fitted in one space.

Still, I decided it was best to err on the side of caution! Plus I still enjoy the fact that I can park pretty much anywhere a normal car can park, even if I have to pay more sometimes.

 

[ArunAlec]

£8, and relax! Otherwise spend the day wondering whether you’ll return to a ticket and fine.

 

[chockswahay]

I’m just too much of a cheapskate ……. I would have parked as far away as necessary as long as it was free then walk back! ( not a very helpful answer, sorry)

 

[Herman]

The Ocean weighs more than 3t so you paid the appropriate class per that sign ie van >3t. Had you chosen A and parked in Portree. --> ticket.

Surely the weight restriction applies to the load carrying capacity of the vehicle? The VW transporter base is a nominal ‘1 ton van’. The base vehicles of larger motorhomes, six-wheelers, will be rated as over three tons. Could be wrong, but there is a similar sign in Welshpool and I haven’t been fined for paying the lower rate there.

 

[ArunAlec]

Surely the weight restriction applies to the load carrying capacity of the vehicle? The VW transporter base is a nominal ‘1 ton van’. The base vehicles of larger motorhomes, six-wheelers, will be rated as over three tons. Could be wrong, but there is a similar sign in Welshpool and I haven’t been fined for paying the lower rate there.

The way I read the sign reads the 3t applies to categories A and B. Category C doesn’t stipulate a weight, so It’s £8 whatever the weight.

 

[Corradobrit]

The way I read the sign reads the 3t applies to categories A and B. Category C doesn’t stipulate a weight, so It’s £8 whatever the weight.

A is <3t, B is >3t. B is in the 8 quid bracket.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

£8 - C covers any Motorhome with no weight stipulation.

It's not all about length!…smaller campervans will most likely use the toilet facilities more as likely to be parked for longer / drinking more tea.

 

[KevH]

Parking signs….grrrrrr
There really ought to be some sort of standard for parking signage and definitions.
If there already is a standard, it should be adopted.
IMO of course

 

[ArunAlec]

A is <3t, B is >3t. B is in the 8 quid bracket.

Exactly and C has no weight criteria. Just type of vehicle of any weight.

 

[ArunAlec]

Parking signs….grrrrrr
There really ought to be some sort of standard for parking signage and definitions.
If there already is a standard, it should be adopted.
IMO of course

This one along Worthing seafront is handy for catching tourists in campers!

 

[Lequimper]

£8 - C covers any Motorhome with no weight stipulation.

It's not all about length!…smaller campervans will most likely use the toilet facilities more as likely to be parked for longer / drinking more tea.

Agreed if it’s accepted that a campervan is a motorhome, which it seems to be when it comes to paying for parking, certainly if you have a low risk threshold.

Actually there weren’t any public toilet facilities in the car park. There were nearby but you had to pay to get in and the combo water-soap-dryer unit wasn’t working!

 

[Kayleigh]

A is <3t, B is >3t. B is in the 8 quid bracket.

Feels like they are discriminating against the Beach which = 3T.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

This one along Worthing seafront is handy for catching tourists in campers!View attachment 121696

I am puzzled by this as the Council's website reads under 'Motorhome and caravan parking':

"You can use pay and display parking, but your vehicle must fit within a single bay. The same applies if your vehicle is able to access a car park":

Parking for motorhomes, caravans and coaches - Adur & Worthing Councils

There are no designated motorhome parking or facilities in Adur and Worthing, and most of our car parks have height...

www.adur-worthing.gov.uk

 

[ArunAlec]

I am puzzled by this as the Council's website reads under 'Motorhome and caravan parking':

"You can use pay and display parking, but your vehicle must fit within a single bay. The same applies if your vehicle is able to access a car park":

Parking for motorhomes, caravans and coaches - Adur & Worthing Councils

There are no designated motorhome parking or facilities in Adur and Worthing, and most of our car parks have height...

www.adur-worthing.gov.uk

The bays that the sign is associated with are not pay and display which is what the council are referring to, they are for marked bays on the highway.
The road has been subject to complaints from the seafront residents due long stay overnight Motorhome parking, so I guess the signage is to address that !
The council website isn’t very informative.

 

[Meoncoast]

this issue is developing across the country. I think the biggest issue is knowing what each council classifies as a motorhome. Who will be the 1st to park their Cali in a motorhome-only bay and then get a ticket because it is a "campervan" .

 

[Viktorgeorge]

The bays that the sign is associated with are not pay and display which is what the council are referring to, they are for marked bays on the highway.
The road has been subject to complaints from the seafront residents due long stay overnight Motorhome parking, so I guess the signage is to address that !
The council website isn’t very informative.

Thank you @ArunAlec . I have written to the Worthing Council and so far they are as you say - and as their website - not very informative.

Perversely, perhaps, as a seafront resident in Suffolk, although owning a California, I am similarly bothered by overnight campervans and motor homes 'hogging' spaces and spoiling things for others.

Our Council here so far has said there is no legal way to distinguish campervans from cars (other than through 3.5 tonnage controls, often not applicable) therefore I am interested how other Councils do this, so I can put that to my local council.

 

[ArunAlec]

Ferring beach?

No, the western end of Worthing. I think they’ve stopped overnight parking at Ferring …… the next area will be Mill Rd Arundel, which is getting to be an issue with semi permanent camping despite being next the main car park with an area that allows campervans .

 

[KevH]

Thank you @ArunAlec . I have written to the Worthing Council and so far they are as you say - and as their website - not very informative.

Perversely, perhaps, as a seafront resident in Suffolk, although owning a California, I am similarly bothered by overnight campervans and motor homes 'hogging' spaces and spoiling things for others.

Our Council here so far has said there is no legal way to distinguish campervans from cars (other than through 3.5 tonnage controls, often not applicable) therefore I am interested how other Councils do this, so I can put that to my local council.

From another thread, it seems that other councils distinguish between cars and campervans using the ‘adapted for sleeping’ definition.
But that opens up yet further debate of course.

 

[ArunAlec]

this issue is developing across the country. I think the biggest issue is knowing what each council classifies as a motorhome. Who will be the 1st to park their Cali in a motorhome-only bay and then get a ticket because it is a "campervan" .

Still ok to park at Titchfield Haven?