With a significant rise in the number of people choosing to visit Gwynedd in motorhomes, the Council is keen to hear the views of residents on how best to manage the situation.

 

For many years Gwynedd and specific locations within the county have developed into a very popular destination for visitors in motorhomes. This is a common pattern with 357,000 registered motor homes across the UK.

In the wake of this growing popularity, the Council is researching how best to manage the situation for the future and investigating how other areas across Europe are managing the issue.

As part of this work, the Council is eager to hear the views of communities within the county in order to gain a full understanding of the situation locally so that consideration can be given to whether there are specific measures that can be introduced here in Gwynedd.

Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, Leader of Gwynedd Council, said: “For a number of years now, we have seen a growth in motor home ownership across Britain and that pattern has been reflected in motor home visits to Gwynedd as well.

“With the restrictions of Covid-19 making people less likely to travel to the continent, we have seen an increase over this period as people visit in motor homes to enjoy Gwynedd’s popular attractions.

“The message of the Council throughout this period has been for people who choose to visit Gwynedd to be careful, plan ahead and treat our communities with respect.

“We know that Gwynedd’s caravan and camping sites have been extremely popular over the past year and do not always meet the needs and travel pattern of motor home owners.

“We are looking at the powers that the Council has to deal with motor homes as well as considering whether there are any lessons that can be learned from the arrangements in place in some other parts of Britain and in continental Europe.

“Our aim is to ensure that we are able to manage the situation for the future which is why we are keen to hear the views of the people of Gwynedd and would encourage anyone who is interested to complete the survey.”

The survey on how to manage motor homes in Gwynedd is available on Gwynedd Council’s website at www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/motorhomesurvey  – it will be open until 31 August 2021. All responses will be considered as part of the research into the management of motor homes in Gwynedd.

Existing Laws

  • The Council has powers to enforce against motorists who park illegally and usually where there are restrictions (eg on yellow lines, in a car park where there are legal restrictions)
  • Motorhomes can park in some Council car parks, but sleeping overnight in a vehicle is prohibited
  • There are planning policies relating to touring caravan sites and there are no separate planning policies for motor homes
  • Most caravan and camping sites are open from April to October and at certain times there is a suggestion particularly during 2020 that there are instances of under-capacity with many campsites selling annual plots
  • There are examples in Scotland and England of measures aimed at meeting the needs of motor home users, often involving overnight use of car parks, with relevant restrictions
  • In other European countries such as France, a network of designated overnight parking areas for use by fully self-contained motorhomes (‘Aire’ facility or similar) has been established. The intention is to encourage visitors traveling by motor vehicle to stay in a town or village, in order to offer an element of economic benefit to the local community and to have better control of the sector

Photos: Motorhomes parked at Beach Road in Bangor