A NEW campervan and motorhome ban has kicked in today in a tourist hotspot crackdown and rule-breakers risk having their vehicle towed away.
It comes after months of complaints from residents about larger vehicles dominating the area.
A new campervan and motorhome ban has kicked in today in a tourist hotspot crackdown and rule-breakers risk having their vehicle towed away[/caption]
The details of the ban.
Motorhomes and campervans owners have been warned of a new parking ban which prevents larger vehicles from accessing popular seafront roads in East Suffolk.
The council has introduced an experimental Traffic Regulation Order for Undercliff Road East in a bid to create car-only parking bays along both sides of the road.
This will effectively exclude campervans and motorhomes from the stretch.
Council members said that larger vehicles were “damaging the footways and limiting opportunities for residents and visitors to access the beachfront easily.”
The experimental order will be assessed throughout the summer period to determine its effectiveness and may be adjusted before it becomes permanent.
The new arrangements
The council have stated that the new arrangements include dedicated parking bays for disabled badge holders with a three-hour time limit “to ensure they can be used by all those who need them.”
Designated motorcycle parking bays will also be introduced and double yellow lines will be painted on junctions to improve safety and visibility.
The cars-only parking spaces will have no time limit, enabling longer stays for visitors to the seaside area.
To help drivers get used to the changes, parking on a section of Undercliff Road East has been temporarily restricted between June 30 and July 18, with the council warning that vehicles parked during this period may be towed away reports GB News.
Alternative parking for larger vehicles will be available at Manor Terrace, Garrison Lane and Golf Road.
Where overnight parking will be permitted for a maximum of three days with no return within seven days.
Signage and larger bays will be introduced at these alternative locations to accommodate campervans and motorhomes.
The improvement works resulted from a collaboration between Suffolk Highways, East Suffolk Council and Felixstowe Town Council to address safety concerns.
The reason behind the ban
Felixstowe’s popularity among the camping community had grown significantly due to amenities such as free tap water and public toilets.
However, residents have been urging the council to introduce parking restrictions, with some complaining that campervans were parked on the road for months at a time.
The council explained that larger vehicles, parking partially on pavements, was also causing obstruction issues, especially for wheelchair users and those with pushchairs.
Councillor Seamus Bennett explained that overnight camping and parking of motorhomes has become excessive in the area.
He said: “Dozens of very large vehicles park for days or weeks and effectively turn this stretch of seafront road into a free campsite, which it was never meant or equipped to be.”
Councillor Tim Wilson added: “Undercliff Road East is unsuitable for the high volume of large vehicles which visit during the summer months, and these layout changes will encourage these vehicles, including campervans and motorhomes, to find alternative parking.”
Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council Cabinet member for Operational Highways and Flooding said: “The campervans have been offered an alternative parking solution.”
He explained that the experimental order aims to find “a lasting solution for the residents of the town”.
Campervan owners had previously highlighted their contribution to the local economy through the use of shops and pubs.
And some suggested a 24-hour time limit might better balance competing needs.
