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Vote to be held in Morecambe on overnight parking ban for campervans

Campervans and motorhomes could be banned from parking overnight in all Lancaster City Council car parks.

Councillors will be asked to vote in favour of the ban at a meeting at Morecambe Town Hall on Wednesday November 13.

A group of Labour councillors is also pushing for a ban on overnight parking of campervans and motorhomes on Morecambe Promenade.

Residents have long complained about large numbers of motorhomes parking for free along the Promenade, saying they cause nuisance and pollution.

Now a group of councillors want to see an outright ban on them parking overnight in the car parks run by the council across the Lancaster and Morecambe District.

A motion will be put before the full council, proposed by Morecambe Labour councillors Margaret Pattison (pictured below) and David Whitaker.

It says: "This motion is not to stop campervans and statics visiting Morecambe, it is to stop overnight parking on our highways and council car parks for environmental and health and safety reasons.

"Highways are for temporary use to move on, as well as car parks.

"Lancaster City Council notes the concerns raised by residents with regards to the increased volume of campervans and motorhomes parking overnight on Morecambe Promenade, the impact upon the accessibility of Morecambe Promenade, the visual and environmental, health and safety impact upon a prominent part of the district which may affect tourism and the local economy, (and) the potential for reputational damage to Lancaster City Council for perceived inaction, despite the issue falling under the authority of Lancashire County Council.

"This council therefore resolves: To engage with partner organisations, including Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Constabulary, to seek authority to enact a ban on overnight parking on Morecambe Promenade for camper vans and motorhomes. 

"To initiate a ban for overnight parking across all Lancaster City Council car parks for camper vans and motorhomes.

"To establish a working group with partner organisations, to explore alternative locations which can be used by camper van and motorhome users within the district."

The motion will be heard at the meeting, which starts at 6pm and is open to the public.

A vote of councillors on whether to adopt the motion - and therefore ban campervans and motorhomes from parking overnight in city council car parks - is expected to take place at that meeting.

Motorhomes/campervans can currently park in specified Lancaster City Council car parks, but sleeping in these vehicles on council car parks is not allowed.

In May, Morecambe Town Council called for tougher action on motorhome owners who park on Marine Road for days, and said they would write to highways bosses calling for an overnight ban and clear signage warning campervan drivers not to park.

Read more: Calls grow for overnight camper van parking ban on Morecambe Promenade - Beyond Radio

In December 2022, a Morecambe resident blasted campervan owners who she said use the town as a "permanent personal car park", during a speech at a Lancaster City Council meeting.

Susanne Smith spoke out at Morecambe Town Hall while presenting a petition to the council calling for the council to provide facilities within Morecambe car parks for visitors with motorhomes or campervans.

At the time, she was told that the city council had met with Lancashire County Council bosses, who are in charge of highways in Lancashire, to ask for Marine Road parking restrictions.

A draft Traffic Regulation Order was in place but the county council had asked for new pay-and-display facilities elsewhere on Marine Road to recoup any costs, which could prove an obstacle.

She was also told that providing facilities for campervan owners to stay overnight in existing car parks would be costly.

Read more: Morecambe resident blasts motorhome owners for using town as "personal car park" - Beyond Radio

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