# Olympics Parking



## Jofda (Jun 23, 2010)

Hi all
Not sure if I'm on the right forum but could really do with some advice and benefit of experience?
I have some Olympic tickets and will be taking the family up to visit relatives in east London for a few days during the events (we live in Devon) We shall be staying with my sister, but will be travelling up in our Autotrail 640.
My sister suggests parking outside her house, she has a residents parking permit for one car in a block for 4, neither she nor her next door neighbour have cars and are happy for us to park outside over both their car spaces? They have special permits for "guests" visiting their homes.
I had a feeling that this might pose a difficulty legally (probably paranoid about MH persecution!  ) so suggested that my sister contacted her local Council for advice...we will not be sleeping in the MH, just travelling up in it.
She had two lots of advice...one official saying they did not see a problem but to call back with the MH size. Sister called back with info but spoke to a different official who said "no way was this possible whatever the size of the MH"
I have now asked my sister to speak to her local Police station for their opinion but has anybody on here any ideas about this?
My own view is that this is a taxed, insured and MOT legal vehicle which I shall be using to transport my family into greater London, it will not be used for sleeping. If this were my sole means of transport, why should I not park it on legal street parking?
Any ideas, thoughts or experience would be gratefully received.
Cheers all!


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

I would suggest that unless there is something specific in the regulations excluding motorcaravans, then the permits are good - possibly provided the vehicle fits within any painted spaces. Whenever asking questions of this nature from local authorities, always be sure to request a copy (or web link) to the specific Order or Regulation, otherwise you will often simply get the individual's opinion, as you have found.

Is the east London address within the LEZ (Low Emission Zone) and if so have you checked that your vehicle is LEZ compliant?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/default.aspx
or
https://lowemissionzone.tfl.gov.uk/b/pb/lezComplianceProvideVRM.faces


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> My own view is that this is a taxed, insured and MOT legal vehicle which I shall be using to transport my family into greater London,


Agreed. Go for it. Don't worry. Don't ask anybody else. If it's not obviously in someone's way just park it there. In my opinion :wink:


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

Which east London borough is this in? Knowing this would help us check it out.

See for example Newham whose only limitation is:

"You are not entitled to apply for a permit if your vehicle is a goods carrying vehicle that is more than 2.3 metres high and/or 5.3 metres long."

http://www.newham.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyr...dentParkingPermitApplicationFormVersion52.pdf

(see Section 2 and the declaration on page 3 which details the does and don't e.g. section i)

So presumably even if your vehicle exceeded these dimensions it would still be OK as it's not a Goods Vehicle . . .


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## Jofda (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanks both! This is truly a brilliant site. Your advice is simply perfect and already contains enough info to give me the confidence to as you suggest "just go for it". Roger, the advice re LEZ has resolved one query for me (I'm not included, MH is 2004) and you have provided a link for Newham which is right next door to Barking where my sister lives...thanks so much.
I shall be e-mailing the Town Hall requesting that legislation forthwith!


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

One possible fly in the ointment is the vehicle MAM.

If it is over 3.5 tonnes then the tax disc will say PHGV (Private Heavy Goods Vehicle). That would probably exclude it from Newham. :? 

I have never found any accurate ruling for parking this class of vehicle.


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## Jofda (Jun 23, 2010)

Just read through Barking's resident parking policy and they have a scheme for "visitor parking" to residents? It does not specify anything about the visitors vehicle...my Apache is under 3.5 ton anyway. I think I'm just going to get my sister to measure the width of her marked parking bay to ensure that I can get in widthways and bank on the lack of weekend staffing in terms of worrying about penalties?
Might be an idea to print off what I've just read in terms of its "non-specific" identity of vehicles and argue the toss if challenged :lol: I reckon all Police personnel will be tied up at the Olympic Park anyway!! Thanks all!


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

Barking operate the following system (which I'm assuming is what you sister already has):

"Visitor Parking Scratchcards 
Residents can purchase visitor scratchcard for the use of guests and family members visiting them. It is valid for use to park in resident parking bays (or shared-use bays) within indicated Controlled Parking Zone.

It is available as daily scratchcards in packs of 10 cards at a cost of £10.50. There is a limit of 2 books per household per calendar month"

The visitor parking scratch card application form contains no limitation as to type of vehicle other than it must be within a bay:

"All vehicles must be parked parallel to the kerb and within a bay designated as part of the zone indicated on 
the front of the scratch card."

http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/Parking/Documents/VisitorsScratchCard.pdf

See also here:
http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/Parking/Pages/ParkingPermitTypes.aspx

As 747 has posted, the parking of motorcaravans often falls into a grey area, my tax disk shows PLG (Private Light Goods); one could argue that this does not necessarily make it fall into the classification used in Newham, however this doesn't seem to come up in Barking.

Hope this helps.

Edit: just saw your last post showing you'd found this whilst I was typing - your suggested approach seems sound.


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