Motorway Services

DSB replied on 25/03/2017 01:00

Posted on 25/03/2017 01:00

No doubt there has been a thread before on this subject, but I would be interested in collecting folks thoughts about Motorway Services and whether any of you have problems in getting a space to park when you are towing a caravan. If there are certain services that are more difficult for caravanners and motorhomers.

What concerns me is the aspect of tiredness.  In March 2098 the government launched the THINK! driver tiredness campaign.  Although I believe this was aimed mainly at those in the transport industry, it could also be an issue if caravanners need to stop because of tiredness, but have had found difficulty in doing so because of the poor parking facilities at Services. There are usually sufficient spaces to pull over if you are just driving in a car, but I'd be interested I your experience in a motorhome or when towing a caravan.  If this is a safety issue (in practice), I just wonder if it is something the Club should champion on our behalf.

I would be interested to hear of practical experiences.

David

JVB66 replied on 26/03/2017 18:10

Posted on 26/03/2017 18:10

It is not good for c/vans in most m/way service areas ,even though the overhead gantries advise to take rests and the sat nav pings at two  hours to take a rest ,,and as mentioned the coach and bus bays are never full, but the ones for c/vans are, by anything except c/vans and m/vans,

It needs both clubs the ccc and the "new one" to get involved,and until,there is communication  between them on this and any other problems for leisure vehicles ,then it will be dead in the water,

another thing i have noticed is the ammount of laybys  that are being taken out of use,possibly because of original poor design (to close to live carriageways) 

replied on 26/03/2017 18:11

Posted on 26/03/2017 17:59 by Briang

The answer is if there is a lorry parked in a caravan space take his picture and send it to their employer I did this when on the M4 just after leaving the Severn Bridge into Wales. The lorry in question was a well known company he got the sack for being parked there. This is all you have to do. When I find the pic i'll post it here.

Posted on 26/03/2017 18:11

I would feel bad in that instance as if there were no caravan spaces I would use a lorry space. I would not wish anybody to loose their livelihood and for that reason would not personally recommend such action.  

Wherenext replied on 26/03/2017 19:25

Posted on 26/03/2017 19:25

The Operators of the services don't need to do too mch, merely instal CCTV pointed at the relevant bays with warnings of fixed penalty fines. Send them off and word will soon get around. They don't even have to do this themselves but could quite easily sub-contract it out.

It is a safety isuue David. Last year I had to skip 2 lots of services on my way up the M6 and as I was tired by the third wasn't best pleased. Also always had problems at Cambridge on the A14 and they're very infrequent on that road. I have in the past asked that the club get involved but they don't seem to want to be a "championing club". 

Pliers replied on 26/03/2017 20:41

Posted on 26/03/2017 20:41

I've often found the "caravan only" bays full of cars, when the car park area is nowhere near full.

Seems to be people wanting a quieter spot to eat lunch, walk the dog etc.

Really annoying when you then have no choice but to rejoin the motorway and hopefully find a vacant space at the next services. 

 

madhouse4 replied on 26/03/2017 22:07

Posted on 26/03/2017 22:07

For risk of a backlash, wouldn't it be more sensible for caravans and trucks to share? We both prefer easy drive through parking bays, and generally there's more caravans on the roads at weekends, and more trucks in the week, so would't it be beneficial for everyone if there was more spaces, but they were to be shared? generally speaking truck drivers are steadier drives than cars on there own, i've never felt worried when we'd stopped in truck areas

Snowy1 replied on 26/03/2017 22:43

Posted on 26/03/2017 22:43

The big negative to using a motorway lorry parking area with your caravan is the smell of urine during summer time, I don't think the parents of many lorry drivers toilet trained them when they were young.

Currently, I drive an articulated lorry, when I'm in a motorway service area, I use the toilets, hence military discipline, it never leaves you!

IanH replied on 27/03/2017 08:04

Posted on 27/03/2017 08:04

It is strange why cars go for the caravan spaces (if provided!) when they are usually the furthest from the shops. toilets etc.

When we stopped at the new Gloucester South services last year, there was a car parked right in the middle of the caravan parking - which is a long way from the amenities.

Incidentally, Gloucester services are an example of how all motorway services should be done - clean, attractive, good parking. They put most other providers to shame.

The services on the southern bit of the M25 (near the M23 Brighton turn off) are pretty good too. 

South Mimms services (on the northern bit of the M25) are not bad.

replied on 27/03/2017 08:20

Posted on 26/03/2017 20:41 by Pliers

I've often found the "caravan only" bays full of cars, when the car park area is nowhere near full.

Seems to be people wanting a quieter spot to eat lunch, walk the dog etc.

Really annoying when you then have no choice but to rejoin the motorway and hopefully find a vacant space at the next services. 

 

Posted on 27/03/2017 08:20

Certainly the case on some service areas where caravan park has some grass and trees nearby

KjellNN replied on 27/03/2017 11:30

Posted on 27/03/2017 11:30

Like most of you, we do not leave the van unattended, and we always use our own toilet and eat in the van.

At the 12-1.30 lunch time, parking our outfit is very difficult especially in the warmer months when more caravans are around.

If there are caravan signs, we always follow them, but sometimes the signs suddenly stop and you are left not knowing where to go.  In that case we would use the HGV area, but as has been said, it can be an unpleasant experience!

Many services do have several caravan spaces, but we too have found white van man, AA/RAC vans and even Police vehicles occupying the spaces. And cars too of course.  Cannot say we have ever seen a lorry in the caravan spaces.  Often the caravan spaces are a bit short for our outfit.

On a few occasions we have had to drive on, but sometimes you just have to stop, then we have stopped on a wide stretch of the exit road, as we have seen lorries do, and quickly used  our toilet.

There is a requirement for the operators to provide parking for all types of vehicles, the problem is that often there are not enough of them, and  the use of them by only the designated vehicles is very rarely enforced.

We now try to stop either early or late and avoid the busy period.

 

replied on 27/03/2017 11:35

Posted on 27/03/2017 11:35

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