Motorhome parking on the Braid
Tourists heading to our beautiful coastline will have three new places to stay – after councillors backed a trial that will allow motorhomes to stay overnight at some of the county’s most popular destinations.
Car parks in Amble, Beadnell and Bamburgh, will be subject to a year-long trial designed to offer more options for people travelling to the seaside spots.
Amble Braid car park will now accept six motorhomes overnight – if they book ahead
Councillors on Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee approved the scheme for the three car parks – at Amble Braid Car Park, at Benthall in Beadnell next to the beach, and the car park opposite Bamburgh Castle.
Only self-contained motorhomes with their own toilets and wash basins will be allowed to stay in the existing car parks, for an as-yet undecided fee.
Image: Pixabay
The plans were voted through with no objectors, and are being introduced amid concerns that some tourists are bypassing Northumberland because of a lack of places to stay for a single night.
Coun Richard Dodd told the committee that the council “cannot ignore the fact that more motorhomes are popping up on Northumberland’s roads. It seems as if it is going to be the future in the UK for a good while, lets grasp this and make sure we do the right things and get some money in the tills.”
Cllr Caroline Ball said: “I don’t want to see the car parks chocker-block with motorhomes but on the other hand we have the need. I have a little bit of concern about the policing of this. If there is no enforcement people will just park there.”
Only a small number of spaces in each car park will be allocated to overnight stays – eight in Beadnell and six in the other two locations.
The committee’s chairman, Cllr Trevor Thorne, said: “I think these motorhomes are part of the tourism of the future.
Link to NCC’s motorhome booking system (Please note: this system was still being tested when this article was posted)
Thank you so much to the council for approving this. We are looking forward to staying on these areas and you can be assured that we will abide by all rules. We hope it will be successful for all concerned.
Thank you for the forward thinking regarding motorhomes and the provision for overnight parking. Please is it possible to provide larger parking bays for motorhomes in public carparks near supermarkets and local shops. I was not happy when I visited Hexham and received a fine in a free carpark.
There is also many parking spaces on the quayside at Seahouses that are crying out for motorhomes to park overnight. A stipulation could be made that they must be clear of the quay by a certain time each day to allow normal use. This is one space I would definitely use at least a couple of times a year.
Does anyone know how and when will we be informed of the cost and how to book these spaces? I would love to park there on my first trip to the Northumberland coast.
The link is in the article Debra
your correct in the fact that coming back from scotland we didnt stay in northumberland as we couldnt over night anywhere ,well done to be so forward thinking
Great idea, however leaving by 8am is far too early! Anyone travelling any distance is not going to arrive by 8. The normal leaving time on a site is 10 to 12. Making it 10 will give time for packing up and a breakfast, folk are on holiday not z r a blog camp!!
Read the Ts&Cs #10 Tim 😊. Looks like you could arrive at 8.05am one day and stay till 5.55pm the next. Or at the very worst you’d just need to move to a different space.
I believe there is provision coming soon at Druridge Bay Country Park for longer stays. https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Local/Country-parks-visitor-centres-coastal-sitesPubl/Druridge-Bay-Country-Park-visitor-centre.aspx
Apologies last sentence should finish: not at a boot camp!
I know it’s great for Northumberland to do this, but £12 for an overnight stop with no services is too much. Loch Lomond does the same thing for £3. max stay 3 nights.
How do we book in advance the car parks
I’m glad I’ve visited Northumberland in the past as I wont be coming again