Have your say on Motorway Service Areas

My biggest gripe is cars and vans using caravan parking spaces (see my photos).  In my relatively limited experience I find that more than 50% of the allocated spaces have vans in them; and in the majority of instances the van driver is not particularly sympathetic when the error of their ways is pointed out to them!  I've tried complaining (to Welcome Break).  They say that I should report it to a member of staff in the service station.  But that's difficult if you cannot find somewhere to park!

Cars certainly, however the larger vans and of course MH’s will generally find it impractical to use the car park if it’s busy and are often not permitted to use the HGV section with signs threatening fines as there are in the coach bays. What is annoying are the HGV’s using the caravan bays, as they regularly do at the East Midlands Airport services, as they have less distance to walk for the facilities.

Unfortunately most Service areas don't have dedicated parking for vans so naturally they will use the most convenient parking place. I daresay many of them are working to a time table and probably think their requirement is more important than someone just on holiday? Human nature I suppose? As far as motorhomes are concerned where do you expect them to park? For anything larger than a small PVC its almost impossible to park in anything less than two bays and probably you would impinge on at least a couple more so trying to find that amount of space in a busy service station is almost impossible. Some suggest we go in with the lorries but aren't caravans equally able to do that? The real problem is that no service station has enough parking, be that for cars, vans, lorries, caravans or motorhomes in busy times.

David

I know this post is close to a year old, but I only just read it having been directed here by more recent posts. 

As DD said, and this applies whatever you want to call them, motorhomes are perfectly entitled to use the caravan bays. Vans should not be there, nor should lorries - in my experience, the greater problem. These both should be in the HGV section except perhaps small vans which could go in the car park. 

I accept that small camper vans can make use of the car park, but few motorhomes find it easy to park in the car park in most motorway service stations where car parks are often very full, congested and tight to manoeuvre in.  

As I posted on another thread, or maybe earlier in this thread, I have been using motor caravans since 1987 and never once have I used the car park and never once has anyone suggested I should not be in the caravan bays. Indeed, on the contrary, I have always been sure that I would be much more likely to incur wrath if I parked in the car park than anywhere else. 

If the caravan bays were full I have always parked in the HGV section rather than the car park. I really do think this nonsense about motorhomes not parking in caravan bays has to stop. They are absolutely 100% entitled to be there. 

We have several times had to drive on, or try the HGV area. 

I have no problem with MHs in caravan bays, as long as drivers are sensible and park 2 to a bay, but I do have a problem with cars, white van man, small HGVs, AA/RAC  Vans and even Police vehicles occupying clearly marked Caravans Only bays!

Only place I have seen the signing enforced is Weatherby Services.

We seem to have caravanners who say a car shouldn’t park in a caravan bay. Then the caravanner goes and parks in a HGV bay. They think that’s OK.

Yes!

1.  Solo cars have absolutely no excuse for taking up a caravan bay, 

2.  There is usually plenty of space in with the HGVs, which is why the delivery vans etc should go there.  Some caravan parking in older services is far too short, even for the average car+caravan.

3.  Plus, sometimes you just HAVE to stop and cannot wait till the next services, which could be similarly full.  So it has to be in with the HGVs, which unfortunately is not usually very pleasant.

4.  Operators are obliged to provide parking, if it is full everywhere then they obviously need to enlarge it.  Some services are very old and things have changed, vehicles are larger, traffic volume has increased hugely.   Not being able to take a break is also a safety issue.

And the HGV driver has.legal restrictions on how long he is allowed to drive, and a tachograph clocking that up, and is driving a vehicle weighing 70 tonnes, and measuring 25 metres long -and finds some holiday maker with a caravan parked in an HGV space. 

I think 70 tonnes is more like those trucks I have been watching on an Australian trucking programme, rather than most of ours.  However, what’s important is folk not continuing to drive when they are tired, wether  that is a legal obligation or not. A car and caravan, MH or car alone can cause just as much devastation on a busy motorway if the driver falls asleep. Not continuing to drive requires they find a parking place, whatever they are driving.