Mark Smith, Strategic Commissioner for Environment, introduced a report which set out the background and latest position with respect to the management of campervans at coastal locations.

The effective management of campervans and other visitors to the borough primarily contributed to the Wirral Plan Pledge to achieve a Vibrant Tourism Economy.

To date the presence of campervans had mainly been an issue affecting the Wallasey and New Brighton Wards. During the past twelve months, numerous complaints had been received from residents in New Brighton and Wallasey Wards regarding the overnight parking of campervans and similar vehicles along Kings Parade and Coastal Drive in New Brighton. The concerns had focused on the aesthetics of these vehicles parking at this seaside location along with anecdotal evidence of environmental offences being committed (waste being thrown into the sea etc). Officers had visited the location on numerous occasions and to date there had not been any tangible evidence of environmental or other offences being committed that would warrant formal enforcement action being taken.

It was reported anecdotally that New Brighton was promoted amongst the campervan fraternity as a place to visit, in part due to the availability of free parking. It was also reported anecdotally that a proportion of those people staying in campervans visited the local attractions and made use of the food and drink offer, contributing to the local economy.

In October 2017, Ward Members had requested a meeting with officers to look at potential options for the management of campervans visiting New Brighton. The options identified focused on either removing / discouraging campervans from parking on the highway by regulation (ie. a Traffic Regulation Order to ban or charge for vehicles) or by incentivising such vehicles to park at an alternative off-highway site.  A summary of the options discussed at the meeting was appended to the report.

Mark Smith informed the meeting that the Leader of the Council had confirmed in the last few days that the proposed introduction of car parking charges at coastal locations would not be taken forward by the Council.

The Chair then welcomed Mrs Foster of Mockbeggar Drive, Wallasey to the meeting and invited her to address the Committee. She commented upon the issues arising from the situation and stated that most coastal Councils had solved this problem. She had written to the Chief Executive but had not received any satisfactory response.

The Chair thanked Mrs Foster for her comments and apologised on behalf of the Chief Executive for the lack of a satisfactory response.

David Armstrong, Assistant Chief Executive, thanked Mrs Foster for her contribution; he had visited Mrs Foster some 6/9 months ago to discuss the situation and acknowledged that the number of campervans did appear to have increased since then and that at weekends both cul-de-sacs were full of campervans.

In response to comments from Members, Mark Smith stated that having checked with a number of service areas, including the Safer Wirral Hub, Environmental Services and Housing, the number of complaints about the campervans over the last twelve months was approximately 25 – 30. Approximately 20 of these related to traffic and the reduction caused in on street parking spaces. One complaint through Environmental Services related to allegations of somebody selling tyres from a campervan, although no evidence was found on this. There had been no anti-social behaviour complaints, though he was aware of a number of local Councillors raising concerns.

A Member queried why a resident, in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, had been told that the Council had only received five complaints and that he should be given an apology as the Council had not been accurate in its response.

David Armstrong apologised that the figures in the FoI might not have been accurate if the FoI team had only approached one service area for figures, when an issue might impact across a number of service areas and he would take this back to the FoI team.

Mark Smith outlined some of the practical challenges in introducing a ban on campervans parking, issues of enforcement and the costs of implementing such a proposal. His Parking Services team was currently looking at examples across the country of restrictions on overnight parking including in North Wales and at Aberystwyth. He was also mindful of the Visitor Economy Strategy in place too with Wirral having the fastest growing tourist economy in the Liverpool City Region.

A Member referred to numerous complaints which had been made about this issue over the last 4 / 5 years and suggested that a ‘no overnight parking’ ban could be imposed on these two particular cul-de-sacs. She also referred to the hygiene issues arising, having seen bottles of urine in waste bins in the area. There was a need for a dedicated site on the Wirral and she was aware of 90 spaces available at Thurstaston.

A Member suggested a Working Party could be set up to look at the issue and examine all the options and the need to ensure that if some action was to be taken the Council ensured that it was the right approach. A Working Party should also involve campervan owners and residents.

Another Member suggested that a ‘no overnight sleeping’ restriction could be imposed as was the case in some parts of the Lake District and Yorkshire National Park areas.

Responding to Members’ comments, Mark Smith and David Armstrong stated that –

·  With regard to Travellers, they tended to go on Council land and not the highway.

·  There had not been any information gathered as to where the campervans were from, the majority of them appeared to be relatively new vehicles touring and would stay for one or two nights, although one or two of the vehicles had owners who claimed they were living there as a necessity.

·  If a ban was to be introduced there would be a legal process to go through and costs involved in its implementation. He would ask his officers to undertake a comprehensive piece of work on options.

The Chair stressed the need for action and that a suggested working group would come back with recommendations on how the issue could be resolved.

On a motion moved by Councillor Lesley Rennie, seconded by Councillor Chris Blakeley, it was –

Resolved (11:3) – That a ban on ‘Overnight Sleeping’ on the two cul-de-sacs of Kings Parade and Coastal Drive, Wallasey be introduced, if it is legally possible to do so, and that this be a recommendation to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.

On a further motion by Councillor Dave Mitchell seconded by Councillor Pat Hackett, it was –

Resolved (14:0) – That a Working Party be established, to which all stakeholders be invited, to enable recommendations to be made to the Committee on the issue of campervans.