Response re York P&R and my 2nd reply

[Wendyr]

This is my rather negative response from James Gilchrist and my reply to his response ( I’m sure everyone who emailed him has had the same response but we need to keep
Knocking on the door)

Dear Ms Robson

Many thanks for your e-mail on the subject of provision for motor home overnight parking in and around York. In York we have competing priorities. On the one hand we wish to continue to develop what the city offers to visitors, so we can increase the number of people who visit, and enjoy, the city year on year. On the other hand, the environment in the city is very precious and City of York Council has declared a climate emergency and is instituting a number of measures to improve air quality in the city, in particular a clean air zone. More recently the council passed a motion to reduce the number of vehicle trips in York city centre.

At the moment, there is no Council provision for overnight stays for motorhomes, although there are bays in the city centre and at park and ride sites which can be used during the day. There is also a camp/ caravan park between Rowntree Park and the city centre which provides overnight space very close to the city centre, but is not operated by the Council.

We are conscious facilities could be within the city centre, at one of our existing car parks, and/or at the park and ride sites on the outskirts of York.

In the city centre, at least at the moment, facilities in the car parks are limited - none of the car parks have electric hook-up points or facilities to dispose of chemical toilet waste. However, as I have outlined above the Council want to reduce demand for city parking not increase it. Of course, these could potentially be provided if there was a wish to do that - but it would be a relatively slow process where we would need to identify an appropriate site and provide the facilities. Charges would need to be set at least in line with other CYC parking charges during the day, and there would need to be careful proscription of things like maximum stay durations to ensure space was available for visitors and not permanently occupied by long term stayers. We could, of course, provide something rudimental very quickly (e.g. simply identifying an area which could be used), but we would need to be sure there weren't issues around things like discharge of chemical toilet waste - something we have had problems with in the past, and still encounter occasionally in York. As such, we could provide something in the city centre, but would need to consider how it fits with the Rowntree Park provision, the Council's transport policies, and we would also need to consider the business case for the provision and how we could finance any capital costs as these are not currently within budgets.

We also considered the potential for providing aires at park and ride sites; although these are currently leased to the Park and Ride Operator. Of these, the site at Fulford is not owned by us, so is not available for this use, and the site at Rawcliffe has a covenant preventing use as anything except daytime park and ride parking and parking for the country park. All of the sites have height barriers, and although camper van parking is provided at Askham Bar, Grimston Bar, Monks Cross and Poppleton Bar, the dedicated facilities at the latter two sites will be lost as the solar canopies are installed. Consequently, the only two sites which could be used would be at Askham Bar and Grimston Bar.

As such, I hope you'll see that, whilst we would not rule out provision of aires in York, providing them would not be particularly straight-forward, and because of the potential of an adverse effect on an existing private sector provider - in the shape of the Rowntrees Park site, we would need to think very carefully before making a commitment.

We are in the process of devising plans both for the city centre and a new Local Transport Plan for the city. We'd propose to consider the issues around motor home parking provision as part of this development of strategies over the next year.

Yours

James

James Gilchrist | Assistant Director of Transport, Highways and Environment
t: 01904 552547| m: 07771 838513| e: james.gilchrist@york.gov.uk

City of York Council |Economy and Place Directorate
West Offices | Station Rise | York | YO1 6GA
www.york.gov.uk | facebook.c
/cityofyork | @CityofYork


My reply to his response.........

Thankyou for your prompt response.
Obviously there will be many issues to consider but as you have identified two park & rides that could accommodate motorhome overnight stays - both of which are outside the city limits - perhaps this is the time to at least consider a trial.
With regards to the Rowntree site - as a member of the Caravan Club for many years - I can assure you that whilst it is a wonderful site it is almost impossible to book a site and certainly not at weekends/ holiday times and I’m sure it is already fully booked for the whole of the 2021 season. I’m sure a phone call would confirm this.
Motorhomes are self contained and do not need electric hook up and only require facilities to water and waste disposal every 3/4 days so whilst these facilities would be welcome they are not essential and most stays could be limited to 24/48 hours.
In my experience most motorhome owners tend to be at the older end of the spectrum with time for year round touring and disposable income and are usually well behaved leaving nothing behind except their tyre tracks. Sadly there will be a small number of exceptions who will always spoil it for the majority - a sad reflection on society- but that should not tarnish the large number of decent people from being welcomed into our towns and cities.

Regards
Wendy Robson


My original email
-----Original Message-----
From: wendy robson <werobson@hotmail.co.uk>
Sent: 21 February 2021 09:38
To: Gilchrist, James <James.Gilchrist@york.gov.uk>
Subject: Motorhome stopovers York P & R

This email originated from outside of the organisation. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe.

I am one of the thousand of Motorhomers who like to tour the Uk and need overnight stopovers as opposed to longer term campsites.
York is a beautiful city I like to visit and the Park and ride system is excellent and could easily be made into a space for overnight stopovers for self contained Motorhomes.
It would encourage visitors to support York businesses spending money in the city and particularly evening visitors for theatres/ restaurants etc.
This is the year to trial this experiment - when restrictions are lifted thousands of people will be out there in their vans looking for places to visit and spend - Let York have a piece of action.
This will not take away businesses from York campsites which are invariably full ( ask the Rowntree site) or demand minimum night bookings which is not what the Touring Motorhomers need or want.
I hope you will consider this as a matter of urgency - other areas are already on board - please take a look at www.campra.org.uk

Thankyou for your time
Wendy Robson

[PeteD]

My response to James Gilchrist note.

Thank you for your quick response and please accept my apologies for thinking you were a Councillor. Your response indicates that while there are many issues to consider there will be even less opportunity for motorhome owners to park to visit Yorks' attractions in the not too distant future. This will make the already inadequate facilities even worse. The Caravan and Motorhome Club site at Rowntree Park is already fully booked for 2021 and most weekends in 2022 are also showing fully booked up until April 2022. This indicates the Citys’ goals to increase tourism will certainly be curtailed as far as the growing ownership of motorhomes is concerned and I fear that the lack of immediate plans to correct this situation will not meet the demands of the expected surge in staycations.

Motorhomes are self contained and do not need electric hook up and only require facilities to take on water and dispose of waste every 3/4 days so whilst these facilities would be welcome they are not essential and most stays could be limited to 24/48 hours. If York is to prove attractive to motorhome owners, I urge you to use your influence to at least provide temporary measures until firmer plans can be developed.
Pete D

[Steve]

Contact for to Visit York

Following the government’s announcement we will like thousands of other owners of motorcaravans who have been unable to travel during lockdown are itching to set off in our self contained motorcaravans and looking forward to shops and hospitality reopening.
We would love to visit York but cannot find any details for motorcaravan overnight parking within walking or bus routes into the city ?
The one campsite at Rowntree park exclusively for CAMC Members is fully booked for 2021 and every weekend to April 2022.
Surely a City like York must have provision for the UK’s 386,000 motorcaravans?
Staycations are increasingly for the foreseeable future and all we need is a safe place to park as our motorcaravans have everything onboard so do not require the facilities of a campsite.
Apparently we are not even allowed to stay on your park and ride sites which would be an ideal solution and help to reduce carbon emissions within the city.
Hopefully you will be able to help so that we can reassure our thousands of fellow motorcaravan owners that York Welcomes us.

[SBirnie]

Following email sent today to York’s Assistant Director of Transport, Highways and Environment:-
“ Dear Mr Gilchrist,

I’ve been made aware of your email correspondence with several of my colleague motor caravan owners via the Campaign for Real Aires UK (CAMpRA). I hope you won’t mind me adding my own comments in support of the provision of suitable Aires in the York area.

Sadly, I don’t know York at all well. That’s largely because when in recent years I’ve tried to book pitches at campsites handy for the city (especially the CAMC’s Rowntree Park site), they were fully booked. So, I’ve been put off visiting and go elsewhere.

As has been explained earlier by my colleagues, self-contained motor caravans don’t need campsite facilities. Thousands of their owners, like myself, have experienced the incredibly successful and convenient network of Aires in Europe. Most cities there provide Aires with mutual benefit to them and visiting motor caravan owners. The UK has not realised this potential benefit with cities like York missing out not only as regards the 386,000+ UK owners, but also the near 2 million European motor caravan owners, who surely would have York on their itineraries if and when they can visit. I know from conversations I’ve had in the past with European owners, who are used to European Aires, that they are put off coming to the UK as there are virtually none here. Furthermore, they perceive UK cities and towns as unwelcoming to motor caravans, something UK owners have long known. In a post-pandemic environment, welcoming such visitors to help economic recovery should be a top priority.

I can easily understand that provision of Aires near the city centre is problematic & undesirable for environmental reasons. Sites near good public transport links into the centre would be far better. The vast majority of motor caravan owners would agree with that and be grateful for not having to drive in congested areas, too! The clear candidates for Aires sites are the park and ride locations. Initially, these simply can be suitable parking bays, but in time facilities can be added. I expect the experience of Canterbury has already been mentioned to you, but if not I urge you to examine their comprehensive facilities, which they say have been very successful for them.

Thank you for considering this email. I look forward to hearing from you. And, I look forward to one day being able easily to visit York in my motor caravan.

Regards,

Steve Birnie “