Campervan parking ban extended after complaints

An overnight ban on campervan parking in parts of North Yorkshire has been extended after councillors said restrictions introduced elsewhere had led to a "displacement" of problems.

The original ban, introduced in 2024, prohibited overnight parking by motor caravans between 23:00 and 07:00 in Sandsend, along Royal Albert Drive in Scarborough and at Cayton Bay.

The latest restrictions will apply to Belvedere Road, Holbeck Road, Esplanade Crescent and Sea Cliff Road in Scarborough.

Councillor Rich Maw said residents in affected streets had reported "waking up to campervans outside their windows, disposing of grey water, and hanging up laundry on their hedges".

North Yorkshire Council made the measures permanent earlier this year after receiving complaints about motorhomes using the areas for extended periods.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the council received thousands of complaints linked to the issue.

The new order bans all motor caravans from parking on those roads overnight throughout the year, with a public consultation on the scheme running until February 2027.

Maw, who represents the Weaponness and Ramshill division on the council, said the authority had been "forced to act to protect residents from the behaviour of some campervan owners".

He said, when the original ban was introduced under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), that simply moving motorhomes from one location could push the problem into residential areas.

He argued that an "aire-style" scheme, which provides designated overnight parking for motorhomes, should have been considered instead.

The original ETRO was introduced after the council said the number of motorhomes staying in some coastal locations had reached an "unacceptable level" and followed increasing complaints from residents and visitors.

A separate trial at Cayton Bay was later abandoned after signs were repeatedly vandalised and thrown from a cliff.

Earlier this year, the council's executive member for highways and transport, Malcolm Taylor, said authorities needed to strike a balance between supporting tourism and addressing concerns from local communities.

Residents living on the newly restricted streets who own a motor caravan can apply to register their vehicle with the council, allowing it to be exempt from the ban.

Responses to the consultation must be made in writing and received before the consultation closes on 22 February 2027.

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