Trial Scheme Hits Motorhomes in Whitby, Scarborough & Cayton

Motorhomes will be banned from overnight parking at certain locations in Scarborough, Whitby, and Cayton as part of a trial scheme which could be expanded. 

An experimental ban on the overnight parking of motorhomes from Sandsend to Raithwaite, Royal Albert Drive in Scarborough and Osgodby Hill and Filey Road in Cayton Bay has been approved by North Yorkshire Council. 

The trial ban will be in force between 23:00 and 07:00 for the next 18 months and is set to start in September.

Following an initial six-month consultation period the plan could be tweaked, made permanent, or even scrapped.

The scheme was approved at a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s environment directorate on Friday. 

Coun Keane Duncan, the executive member for highways, said:

“We are not anti-campervan but there are issues that we need to address and I know that local councillors of all political parties up and down the coast are supporting what we’re doing.”

It comes as the council said the number of motorhomes using the specified streets had reached an “unacceptable level” and followed increasing complaints from members of the public. 

The authority said there were concerns about fire safety and antisocial activities and noted “inappropriate use” of litter bins and of “highway gullies and drains for the depositing of waste”.

A report prepared for Friday’s meeting added:

“There are many other locations in the local area where motor caravans may continue to park unrestricted on the publicly maintainable highway.” 

North Yorkshire Council said it was clear that “there is strong opposition to the order from the motor-caravanning community” but did not rule out further action. 

Richard Marr, North Yorkshire Council’s highways area manager told the meeting on Friday:

“We are definitely not anti-motorhome and these three locations are areas where we’ve had an awful lot of concern raised and we’ll have to see what happens with the people who are displaced.”

He added that the council will be setting up an online consultation page as it wanted detailed feedback on whether the order was working.

Coun Keane Duncan emphasised that “this is a trial and we need the views of locals, visitors, and campervan visitors so we get the full spectrum of views.”

The authority said it had considered other options, including introducing a charge for overnight parking, but concluded that it would not alleviate the issues raised by residents. 

The executive member for highways, Coun Duncan, said:

“I think it’s important for us to underline that we are not waging war against campervans and motorhomes. 

“We welcome them to our coastal communities and we don’t want them to be deterred but we also want them to come and visit in a managed, organised, and safe way and that is the guiding principle of what we’re trying to do.” 

“While I do agree that we should take the action that is being proposed, I’m also very much prepared for us to take further action to deal with the issues.”

Also speaking at Friday’s meeting, Judy Clark, clerk to Lythe Parish Council, said:

“Our parish council is very supportive and welcomes the proposal, particularly for the area that has the greatest impact on this parish, which is Sandsend Road.”

“It’s encouraging that changes are allowed in the first six months of the experimental order.”

A similar overnight seafront parking restriction was previously in place for motor caravans but it expired in 2015.

The council has estimated that the cost of advertising the traffic regulation orders and erecting necessary signs is around £4,000. 

According to a report, Civil Enforcement Officers will enforce the restrictions from 13 September 2024 “and earlier if possible”.