# Service Station Stop Over



## mike-n-helen (Aug 26, 2013)

We'll be heading off to France this summer and will be sailing from Dover. It's a long drive down there from way up north so we were planning to stop a service station overnight on the way down once I got fed up of driving and we have crossed the Dartford crossing.

Never having stopped anywhere other than campsites or car park in Rothbury on Boxing day night I was wondering if anybody has had any problems stopping at a services? Is it safe, can you do it, the websites mention cars and HGV's are MH welcome??

Thanks,

Mike


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Are you not in the CC or C&CC? The nicer choice would be to find a CL / CS five van site somewhere convenient on the way down. Thats what I would do. They are everywhere. If I want to break a journey up I can nearly always find one somewhere just off the motorway for £5-£10. 

I think you need to be careful of charges etc on Service stations not to mention the noise and of course there are many that say your more at risk of getting robbed on one.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

Service Stations have a maximum stay, usually 2 hours with heavy penalties for going over.

My advice is park up on Marine Parade at Dover. It's not official, but the police turn a blind eye to parking overnight. We use it quite often, even when using the Eurotunnel, early morning or late at night.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Zozzer said:


> Service Stations have a maximum stay, usually 2 hours with heavy penalties for going over.
> 
> My advice is park up on Marine Parade at Dover. It's not official, but the police turn a blind eye to parking overnight. We use it quite often, even when using the Eurotunnel, early morning or late at night.


Not all service-stations have a max of 2 hours! Some allow overnight parking - for a fee of course. It depends on which company run the services and what their particular policy is. That said, Barry's suggestion would be more preferable for me.

Caulkhead


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Actually as pointed out. If your past the Dartford Crossing your only an hour from Dover. Marine parade or up at the monument would be a good idea if you can carry on for another hour otherwise as said once your east of the M25 its pretty rural so a CL site or even a wild spot should be possible off the motorway.


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## Jeannette (Aug 7, 2012)

Marine parade for us as well. Nice curry house a minutes walk away as well.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

can I make a slight amendment to the Marine Parade thing please?

overnighting on Marine Parade is not allowed but it is on Waterloo Crescent which leads into Marine Parade. there are clearly marked bays for m/h's on Waterloo Crescent so don't be tempted to drive and park further along on Marine Parade or you risk getting ticketed there.

there's is also a quiet aire at the Canterbury Park & Ride park to the south of the city - good food pub next door as well


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Don't know your route but there is a free car park at Thaxted, just off the M11 that specifically allows motorhomes overnight, we've used it before, you can arrive at any time no problems..

http://www.thaxted.co.uk/content/how-reach-thaxted

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=12304

About 2 - 2.5 hours drive to Dover from there.

Pete


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

+1 for Waterloo Crescent and the New Dover Road P&R at Canterbury. Stayed at both many times.

If we're being *really* pedantic about it, then it's the Esplanade (rather than Waterloo Crescent or Marine Parade) which has the marked Caravan bays. Here: 51.120071, 1.312865 and note that it is pay and display between 9am and 6pm (free overnight).

If it's a nice day, then it's great to wake up to the view over the inner harbour.

Cullins Yard is a good pub on the yacht Marina in Dover.

Personally I hate staying in service stations - too much coming & going, lights, noise to say nothing of the expense.

Morph


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

There are a couple of roads to park up in Hythe to stay overnight if you're using either the Ferry or Eurotunnel – it's only a 10 minute drive to the Eurotunnel Terminal and 20 minutes to Dover.

Please leave me a space on Sunday night!

:wav: :wav: :wav:


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

You could stay at The Drum Inn which is just off the motorway 20 minutes to the tunnel.

Details here: http://www.thedruminn.com/campingcaravaning.html

Mike


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## mike-n-helen (Aug 26, 2013)

Thanks for some good suggestions, I think we'll try our CCC app when we get fed up of being stuck in traffic and see what is the nearest site, it's seems very fee people would suggest staying at a service station after all. 

Cheers,

Mike


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

And just to be extra-pedantic - it is Dover Council who enforce parking regulations, not the police. Police cars patrol Marine Parade every night, but they are after boy racers and drug dealers, not motorhomes. And Dover Council put up a few " no caravan " signs to appease a few awkward residents, but not " no motorhome" signs. They recognise that many of their electorate work for the Docks Board and do all they can to bring travellers to ferries rather than the tunnel.
At the docks end, it is best to park near the blocks of flats - not on the sea side. At the cruise terminal end, park up good and tight on the sea side.
We have been using Marine Parade for years and have never had a problem - nor have we met anyone who has. Just be sure to be away before 9.00 am, cos the daytime parking charge is per car-sized bay.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We frequently stay at service stations on route from north to south

Usually about £10

Obviously small CS are more attractive but not always as convenient on route

And we are on journey down

If the hound can walk and we can sleep

It's great for us

We no longer do the journey in one

Coming home is a different matter we just drive

Aldra


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

30 mins from Dover nr Ashford is a very nice pub with big car park in Britstops. Free parking ,very quite good ale and lovely food if you feel like treating yourselves
Margaretx


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## deckboy (Sep 14, 2011)

Park & Ride at Dover Road, Canterbury?


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## janet1 (Feb 10, 2012)

We stayed on the Espanade at Dover on our return to UK last Friday night. As folks say......no caravans but motorhomes are free from 6pm until 0900 next day. We time our channel crossings so we can get there for 6pm. The area for motorhomes is just under the huge circle of high rise flats and in the centre you will see approx 3 military memorial statues. There were 4 vans parked there overnight on Friday and room for about 6 more.

On our way out of UK we time to arrive at the Canterbury aire approx lunchtime(Park and Ride) for an overnight. I think it is £4 for the van and the ticket you get allows you free passage on the P & R bus into Canterbury and return. The staff at the P&R are really friendly and helpful.

Enjoy your break. We will use the Aire on 23rd July when we go back over. You can get free wifi at the pub across the road from the P&R.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Thursdayschild.

What is ACTUALLY on the parking signs on Marine Parade is what IS allowed at the various locations, not what is banned.

The signs are quiete clear, on Marine Parade cars and motorcycles are allowed, everything else is not allowed. On Waterloo Crescent caravans (and by association motor caravans which is what a MH is) ARE allowed.

I am aware many park on marine parade and take a chance. There have been a few posts on here in the past from people complaint about getting a ticket.

My attitude is that the council have designated a location where I CAN park my motorhome/motor caravan. It's only a few hundred yards distant from Marine Parade so I park there safe in the knowledge I won't get a ticket. Why risk it when you don't have to.

On a similar note if anyone is planning on visiting the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset over the summer Purbeck District Council pay their enforcement officers to start at 04:00 on occasions to enforce the " no overnight parking/camping/sleeping regs. They are diligent so make sure to use a campsite or you run a real risk of getting a ticket at some ungodly hour ESPECIALLY on the road leading to the ferry, it is a lovely spot to overnight but, as usual, some inconsiderate to$$ers abused the option! stayed for weeks on end! emptied their toilet cassettes on the SSSI and dumped rubbish everywhere , hence the draconian parking regs.

You have been warned.


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

Woodleas C&CC CS is not far off the M20, a short distance before Folkestone. We stayed last year and it was OK.

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/uk/kent/ashford/woodleasfarm

Mike


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

The proof of the pudding, Mrplodd, is in the eating. I was there again last week, and observed the signs myself. Your interpretation of them clearly differs from mine, and you must do what you think is appropriate.
Meanwhile, I will continue to overnight on Marine Parade until such time as Dover Council tell me not to.

Thanks for the warning about the Isle of Purbeck.


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## harveystc (Sep 20, 2008)

*sERVICE STATION STOPOVERS*

Hi,What a interesting topic,the best one for ages,a few refuse to admit that they should not use the councils parking spaces,then we get to know of campsites and pubs who welcome motorhomers,and for most people service stations are a no /no,i can say that with HGV now paying £20 per night,and fridge lorrys going all night who can sleep in sevice stations,some HGVS are now allowed to park in caravan /motorhome spaces as they are regular visitors,so if you need to sleep in peace it makes this topic very interesting,keep the info coming,and if you insist in parking in spsces for cars dont moan if this is taken away at some time by the council,so that every one will then suffer,regards H


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Good morning, harveyhtc
I should not park in parking spaces ? Why not, for goodness sake ? That is what parking spaces are for. The spaces used by motorhomes overnighting before or after a ferry are not required by cars. There are usually plenty of them available and at 9.00 am most of the motorhomes have gone, leaving all the spaces free for paying cars. The car lobby ( if indeed there is one ) would be very much dog-in-the-manger.
And you may rest assured that if the Council did not want motorhomes to overnight on Marine Parade, they would long since have erected unambiguous signage to say so, and would have wardens on night patrol to collect the fines.
A note to Dover Council to acknowledge how useful it is to be able to overnight on Marine Parade, inbound or outbound, making a ferry from Dover our continued choice for cross-channel travel, might be helpful.


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Motorhomes have been parking and over-nighting on Marine Parade / The Esplanade since the 1960's and 1970's. If Dover Council wanted to ban them, then they would have done so a very long time ago.

As has been said, the local authority know which side their bread is buttered, and will not do anything that will encourage holiday-makers (even those just passing through) to take their business elsewhere.

Parking up on the seafront at Dover is an essential part of the holiday experience for me.............much like our essential stop for a bratwurst at the Lorelei Eck on the Rhein.......it is tradition!!

Carl


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## janet1 (Feb 10, 2012)

Thanks to Dover Council for allowing (not denying) the parking of motorhomes. 

When we parked up last Friday night we strolled 100 yards to Table Table restaurant, located at the Premier Inn and we had a delicious sirloin steak and fish and chips......that we had been imagining and droolin' about for the previous 4-6 weeks while in Spain.

We will certainly be going there again on our next return to Dover.


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## janet1 (Feb 10, 2012)

Thanks to Dover Council for allowing (not denying) the parking of motorhomes. 

When we parked up last Friday night we strolled 100 yards to Table Table restaurant, located at the Premier Inn and we had a delicious sirloin steak and fish and chips......that we had been imagining and droolin' about for the previous 4-6 weeks while in Spain.

We will certainly be going there again on our next return to Dover.


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