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Hi Frodosmum,

                       basically you can park anywhere so long as you don't get caught, just use your loaf and read any warning signs and by-laws,

Tony1961.

Hi Frodosmum,

As has been said previously, you can park virtually anywhere, but just leave the place tidy when you're ready to move off.

The rubbish left behind, including waste water dumped on the ground offends folks the most, so just be considerate where you park.

Have you heard about used motorhomes and campervans that can be bought in London, I believe around the Earls Court area ? From what I have been told by another Aussie couple we met in Ireland a few years ago, they bought a small camper there, from an Aussie ex pat, toured the UK and Ireland, and were on their way back to sell it back to him again.

They knew it was going to cost them some cash, but had the use of it for about 6 months, before returning it.

Maybe some other members here may know more details to assist you, if that's what you would like to do.

Good luck,

Bill.

hi frodosmum ,come and park in our garden for free,plug into the electric to ,and our back gardens like the outback very overgrown n wild ),very best wishes billy in birmingham uk....... :-)

As said above you can "camp" pretty much anywhere if you are careful. A couple of tips though

1) dont put an awning up in Tescos car-park.... They dont like it (Idont think Sainsburys or B&Q like it either)

2) Dont plug your hook-up into lamp posts, especially when it is dark, as you WILL burn your fingers on the bulb.

3) If a sign says "reserved parking" with a registration number later than 2004, then it is probably reserved for the Managing Director of the Company whose car-park you are in.

4) Dont ask in a fast food outlet if they would empty your waste container for you, but wait until they have just finished cooking a new batch of burgers and this will help disguise the smell when you empty it in the loo!!

5) Use bricks to hold anything down when in car-parks.... NCP will bill you if you use tent-pegs.

6) Always vacate school playgrounds early, as the kids will stop you having a lie in anyway.

7) You should ALWAYS assume that churches WILL be used on a Sunday.

8) Only use a cemetry in an emergency as the pitches there are very small.

9) When using a Police station car park, put a sticker on your windscreen saying " This vehicle has been removed from the Public Highway by the orders of the Department of Transport"

10) And finally the best one to enable you to be left anywhere, unhindered, is to put a notice on your windscreen saying "Camilla look-a-like available for bookings/appearances/stag nights etc. Enquire within"

Hi Tent Mad

Not sure where you get that from, police do not deal with parking, its decriminalised parking is the responsibilty of local authority.

Layby's are for the weary travelor to rest up, as long as you dont "set up"thats exactly what you were doing.

From the highway code

All vehicles MUST display parking lights when parked on a road or a lay-by on a road with a speed limit greater than 30 mph.
Law RVLR reg 24

For more info read here  http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/22.shtml#223

Never been charged in services (for parking etc)

Tent are you talking history or recent?  Just rang the local Traffic division and they say its not happening, they dont hassle drivers in layby's

George

People's experiences seem to differ greatly, so I suspect that one generalisation you can make is that it is unwise to make generalisations.  The 'official' position regarding Motorway Service Stations is that in almost all you can park overnight FOR A FEE (usually around £6 to £8, which may include a voucher for breakfast) after you have checked in with whoever is on duty (usually someone running the shop or restaurant).  Almost all insist you do NOT use GAS (for cooking / heating), claimed to be for safety reasons but widely believed to be to get you to use their restaurants. The Service Stations which operate this way are listed by the Caravan Club and Caravan and Camping Club with MWay location and phone number.

I am not surprised if many people 'get away' with staying for free, as I doubt that much effort is put into checking to see if there is a receipt displayed, but it is not intended to be a free facility.  We have used this many times when travelling very late at night (24 hour service), but always pay.  The idea of free / wild camping does not appeal to us but do not think it should be objected to if people behave responsibly.