# EU directive on Aires



## grouch (Oct 1, 2005)

Have been away for a couple of months and on my travels was advised that on the "news" there had been notofication of an EU directive stating that all EU Countries would be required to provide Aire type facilities for Motorhomes. Hard to believe. Anyone know anything please?


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## 100851 (Sep 4, 2006)

*Aires*

Hi

we have just got back from a trip to the alps skiing this is only the second time we have been to france with our van and we are still getting to grips with the aires

I think that we should be able to stay in the service stations and each station should allow say 10 motorhomes per night max at a fee of say £7 to £10

well hopfully one day ?


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

£7 to £10 you have to be joking!!!!! For that money I expect a large QUIET pitch and electrics  

peedee


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

In the UK, the obvious thing would be for more use to be made of motorway services.

However things would have to change. I for one refuse to pay £12 to park overnight in a lorry park surrounded by fridge compressors, and the whole place stinking of urine.


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Aires in the UK is becoming a closer reality. A nurse at work was telling me she'd read in ?Daily Express, an article relating to this topic stating more provisions for overnight parking for campers/caravans would be implimented. Shame I got the info secondhand... I would of liked to of read the article myself. The nurse couldn't remember exactly which newspaper and when she had read it.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Lets hope the EU directive is right and the UK is made to pull it's finger out so to speak.

I for one would prefer not to use motorway service station for security reasons as the criminal element will surely cotton on.

I would prefer the French system so that small towns and villages would benefit from our custom.

But hey anything that helps will be appreciated as I feel commercial sites and Caravan Club sites ( we paid 14.50 a night recently at Chapel lane and Broadway for a pitch/electric and use of showers etc and this is off season!) are quite expensive for what we actually want i.e a pitch (with or without electric and water/dumping facilities. Not so fussed on the shower block as we have everything in the mh. We don't all neeed the all singing all dancing sites, not that the caravan club sites are.


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## TonyHunt (Oct 10, 2005)

Quite agree. Cant see the point in having all the facilities on board and then not using them. Can understand the need for a washing machine & dryer facilities but why do people have to take all their washing up to the campsite sinks when they have their own sinks & hot water onboard, can understand it if they are under canvas. I refuse to stay on campsites charging anything much over a tenner a night just because they have a nice smart shower/toilet block. Whats the point in spending 30-40 thousand on a M/H with all mod cons then not using them. Cls & Cs for us, peace and quite, somewhere to fill with water, Electric hook up, plus somewhere to dump the bog thats all you need.


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## 88741 (May 9, 2005)

Well I am glad that people want the all singing all dancing sites, leaves the cl's and cs's to us basic guys :lol: 

Not sure I would stay overnight in a service station tho would rather a quiet field any day, the idea of true aire type stopping places does appeal to me especially on long trips up to Scotland


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## 101368 (Oct 12, 2006)

zulurita said:


> Lets hope the EU directive is right and the UK is made to pull it's finger out so to speak.
> 
> I for one would prefer not to use motorway service station for security reasons as the criminal element will surely cotton on.
> 
> ...


Stayed on a caravan club site for one night last autumn. We managed to miss the site we were intending to go to and were heading on on the principle of there'll be another one along in a minute and there it was. The warden had gone home for the night so you just took a golf tea out of the board and that was your pitch. Site had no toilet or shower block just water and waste points and hookups. Pleasant enough but a bit noisy from the road. If we'd been early risers could have left without paying. Paid up at a rather more sensible time and left. Would have been great but it cost us 17 quid which for off season mid week minimal facilities seems steep.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Unfortunately here three classes of people will be looking at this apart from us that is 

1 The criminal classes already mentioned above 
2. politicians (not just MPs I include councils and the media) working out how to gain some sort of advancement from it. 
3. A different sort of criminal who is going to work out how to extract the most possible cash out of it without expending any effort. 

Or is it just the rain bringing my pessimism to the surface 

Regards Frank


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## Pendragon (Feb 19, 2007)

*Lady Alone Wildcamping*

I spent 10 months wildcamping safely through 11 countries including Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, etc. Why is it that I feel more threatened here in UK. I have had to stay here since July 2006 whilst selling my house. At Hollingworth Lake near Rochdale, I had a gang of 5 carloads of approx 20 Asian lads start rocking the van at 1.30am. I get as far away from "civilisation" as I can. Then I feel safe! Fortunately I have a large dog, part wolf that came back from Montenegro with me, so when I jumped out of the van expecting to remonstrate with 1 or 2 lads only to find myself encircled by cars and headlights and a whole gang, they were as shocked as I was. I won't stop wildcamping because I enjoy the freedom of open spaces and couldn't afford site fees now that I am doing this full time, but organised Aires would make life so much safer and more pleasant. Am I alone in finding UK less safe than other countries or am I just being naieve about the dangers I face? I have a Strikeback alarm system and gas alarm as well as a 75lb dog. What do other people think?


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*mh parking*

Aires uk , forget it just a dream! I can't see many uk towns welcoming motorhomes,they don't even like you parking.In France the most we have paid for an aire 6 euro a night in an aire for 40 units on individual hardstanding pitches divided by shrubs and flowers.Driving on and off grass areas is not great especially in the wet when you tend to leave long lasting damage to the grass,esp.twin axled units!!A reasonable fee for a basic aire,3 euro plus water/electric,we found many free in quiet villages and the locals most welcoming.We always use the local shop to buy at least postcards,bread etc.It would be fab.to find a similar welcome in uk but too many bylaws and nimby's.The wife.


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## 98452 (Apr 2, 2006)

In the USA motor homes are welcome in many places. For instance Walmart lets you stay there FREE and most have water and dump facilities.

The UK is the most unwelcoming country camping wise.


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## TonyHunt (Oct 10, 2005)

You can say that again. Trouble is we are too easy going and let the politicians walk all over us. Let em know at every chance who votes them in like they do in the states. Thats the reason fuel has stayed so cheap out there


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

*Re: mh parking*



silversurfa said:


> Aires uk , forget it just a dream!


Too true when there are only 756 signatures on the petition for parking out of the many thousands of motorhome owners many of whom at least visit this site.

peedee


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