A major motorhome and caravan ban has gone live this week with drivers warned they could now be fined for breaking the rules which will last for at least 18 months.
The restrictions, which went live on Monday, October 21, prohibit motor caravans from parking overnight between 11pm and 7am along coastal locations in North Yorkshire.
The regions impacted include areas from Sandsend to Raithwaite, Royal Albert Drive in Scarborough and Osgodby Hill and Filey Road in Cayton Bay.
The ban comes after numerous complaints from residents that the coastal areas were being clogged up with vehicles during the summer.
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The motorhome ban will last for the next year and a half
PA
The ban will also see the A174 and Royal Albert Drive have on-street pay and display parking in operation during the daytime from March to October.
In Osgodby Hill and Filey Road, there is free and unrestricted parking with the road providing access to a beach and private car park. The council noted that it will gather public feedback during the first six months of the trial to determine if the restrictions should become permanent.
Councillor Keane Duncan said: “We know how important the tourist economy is to the Yorkshire coast and motorhomes are as welcome to park on the seafront as any other vehicle during the day.
“However, extended stays, which usually include significant numbers of motorhomes parking overnight, are causing issues for nearby residents and are posing a serious safety hazard.”
But, while the ban hopes to improve the number of vehicles causing disruption in the area, some residents have warned it could ruin tourism to the region.
A petition was launched shortly after the ban was announced, amassing thousands of signatures within the first few weeks. The petition called for the immediate removal of the ban citing the urgency of local businesses in the town who rely on motorhome and caravan users for trade.
It read: “If you push them out of town then they will either avoid Scarborough altogether or spend less time and less money in the town and on the seafront. Turn parts of Royal Albert Drive into an Aire and charge a modest amount per night up to let’s say three nights at a time.
“Enforce a ban on tents, fires, BBQs as they obviously belong on a campsite. And make the parking accessible for decent-sized campers and RVs. As a Council, it noted that you installed chemical toilet facilities at the public toilets on Royal Albert Drive, so we would presume this was to encourage RV’s and campers to stay.”
The ban follows a previous Temporary Traffic Regulation Order which was introduced in 2012 but expired in 2015 with the council choosing not to reinstate the restrictions.
The council explained that during the Covid pandemic in 2020, the number of complaints about vehicles parking for long durations including overnight reached an unprecedented level and has only increased.
The local neighbourhood policing team also received recent complaints concerning people camping in tents adjacent to the car park on Royal Albert Drive. The complaints centred around anti-social behaviour including campfires and barbeques, leaving litter, and defecating on the grass.
The local authority added: “By restricting the vehicles from parking overnight, the majority of the adverse impacts would be removed or greatly reduced, and a more frequent turnover of parking spaces is achieved.”
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The petition gained over 1,000 signatures calling for an end of the parking banPAThe council did note that instead of a blanket ban it considered charging motorists to park but the concerns and issues with overnight parking “would not be alleviated”. The costs of advertising the Traffic Regulation Orders and putting up signs are estimated to be £4,000.