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thorpe

Hi

This is our first year with a motorhome. Great experience-Greece, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, and Belgium- NO PROBLEMS -but a trip to Scotland and our first encounter with a cultured Englishman! Real aggression. We stopped on a small road in a coastal English village on a free parking 6pm-9am zone. After about an hour from the building across the road comes good old British Bull Dog who owns said house. Lots of aggessive finger wagging and "You can't park there overnight. Sleeping on the road is illegal"

So my question is what is the law on staying in a motorhome on the public highway in the UK?

Oh we legged it as we didn't want our tyres slashed etc.

Peter.

EdinburghCamper

I was about to post the same question as I want to park up somewhere to make sure I got a good vantage point for the QE2 tomorrow!

Did you not ask the guy if he can read? Free Parking, 6pm to 9am!

Gary.

bandaid

Can I expand the question by asking if there's a difference between parking, and camping?

What I mean is...to me parking normally means I park, leave the vehicle and return later. Camping is where I park the vehicle, stay in it for an extended period, sleep maybe then leave.

teemyob

Maybe you could of told the miserable git that you had broken down! Or told him to get along to some city centres and tell the same to the homeless.

Then drove off at a later time.

Trev.

geraldandannie · Moderator

There's a lovely spot in Essex (oxymoron ??) that overlooks the sea. You can park for up to 24 hours, but not overnight Shocked

I suspect that "Bandaid's Law" applies Sad

Gerald

Rislar

I was wondering this also, can i just pitch up on a carrage way parking are, not that i would because of the noise but i'd like to know if i could?

waspes

I dont see any reason why not, lorry drivers do it all the time, plus they are breaking the law if they dont stop after a certain time.

Peter.

thechef

as far as i understand it there is no law against it ...but local council bye laws apply in each different county. They are aimed at stopping 'travellers' and we have never been asked to move on in the uk if just stopping a night or two..and we've often been seen by and waved at by the police,council people etc.
i say be sensible, pay any charges asked no one will bother you

thieawin

OK. The law and why and the reality.

In UK, and most commom law countries everything is legal unless there is a specific law against it

There are national laws we are all supposed to know about and local laws or bye laws about which, because they vary, explicit warnings have to be given

1. There is no national no parking overnight and sleeping in your van law
2. You cannot do it on private land without land owners permission, but they can only ask you to leave, trespass is not a criminal offence
3. On public land there will be bye laws in all probability. The sign has to provide specific warning so no staying in vehicles over night is specific, no camping may not be if you have 40 foot USRV. No sleeping in vehicles is also specific. Anything else and you are free to stay and sleep

Practically do not stay where it might offend a near neighbour, do not have buckets for waste on show, don't park where there are gates which might be closed to ock you in, may be in the right but do you want to waste time with a jobs worth in the morning.

Leave early, quietly and tidily

Remember it is not the police who will endoprce most bye laws but bye law officers, they will be tucked up at home in nice warm beds and do 09.00 to 17.30. If you are approached by an irate member of the public, explain you are not local, sympathise with him, ask him to show you the bye law and where the warning sign is.