Heysham councillor calls for ban on overnight prom parking

Heysham South councillor Colin Hartley set up the ePetition on the Lancashire County Council’s website, which calls on the county council to introduce parking restrictions on Morecambe promenade to prevent the overnight parking of camper vans and all parking of articulated lorry tractor units.

Coun Hartley said: “I’m told that if there is support for this it will be debated by the county council – it’s they that can create the required by-law.

“The vehicles parked on Morecambe’s promenade are an eyesore, especially the articulated lorry units.

“The local council, businesses and the people of the district are working hard to improve Morecambe and having these vehicles parked on the promenade overnight counters the work being done and the image the town is trying to create.

“The camper vans in particular are parking for free and taking income away from the commercial overnight caravan sites where they should be.”

Coun Hartley is also concerned about the effect on the environment, in particular on the water quality in Morecambe Bay.

“Vehicles parked on the promenade have no access to external power, water, sewage or waste disposal,” he said.

“Presumably people are sleeping overnight in the camper vans and the lorries on the promenade.

“If they are they will be producing waste water both from washing and possibly even human liquid waste. Where is this being disposed of?

“It’s reasonable to think that some of this is being put down the roadside gully grids.

“If so, the waste water will not be properly treated and will end up being discharged into the bay in a raw state.

“This is undermining the work being done elsewhere (eg United Utilities) to clean up the bay’s bathing waters.”

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: “We receive occasional complaints about camper vans or HGVs parked overnight on Morecambe promenade and have previously discussed potential solutions with Lancaster City Council.

“The option of introducing parking restrictions, which could have the effect of moving the problem elsewhere, or providing alternative parking for these vehicles, has not previously been supported due to concerns over their possible effectiveness, and impact on resources in proportion to the size of the issue.

“We are always happy to discuss potential solutions to traffic issues such as this, and will formally respond to the petition once it has closed.”

The ePetition runs until November 3, and can be accessed online here