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Topic: Caravans parked in lorry area at services

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seanfdh

01/9/2017 at 10:09pm
Location: North Devon
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Just an idle question really. We were heading oop north to a wedding the other weekend and stopped at the Gloucester services. Despite there being a separate caravan/camper van area quite a few vans were parked in the lorry park. Wondered if anyone had any idea why?

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JuanHuNose

01/9/2017 at 10:27pm
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Stupidity? Laziness?

Caravanners complain about not having anywhere decent to park at services, then when such areas are provided (and at the brilliant Gloucester services are convenient, easily accessible and well thought out) then don`t use them.

Hardly likely to help persuading other dumps masquerading as services to waste valuable space on a facility that isn`t used, is it?

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richard0805

01/9/2017 at 10:41pm
Location: Cardiff
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Because the caravan area was full of cars, mini buses and vans?

seanfdh

01/9/2017 at 11:23pm
Location: North Devon
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Quote: Originally posted by richard0805 on 01/9/2017
Because the caravan area was full of cars, mini buses and vans?

Nah. Half empty. That was why I thought it was remarkable.

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Sean

Whatamess

02/9/2017 at 9:25am
Location: North Wales
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I've never used the services in question but, when you're more often than not directed to the lorry area, I can imagine people just assuming that's where you go without noticing there's a caravan area. I don't think I've seen a caravan area at any services and I hate parking with the lorries in the motorhome and normally use the car park.

Nora

alan29

02/9/2017 at 9:49am
Location: Wirral
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Sometimes/often the signs aren't clear or are blocked by the vehicle you are following.

JuanHuNose

02/9/2017 at 10:03am
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Quote: Originally posted by Whatamess on 02/9/2017
I've never used the services in question but, when you're more often than not directed to the lorry area, I can imagine people just assuming that's where you go without noticing there's a caravan area. I don't think I've seen a caravan area at any services and I hate parking with the lorries in the motorhome and normally use the car park.

Nora

If people can`t see the caravan parking area signs at Gloucester services then they shouldn`t be on the road and would be safer with a guide dog than a car and caravan. As I`ve said, Gloucester isn`t like the normal dumps that pass as services in this country. If memory serves, you have to drive beyond the caravan area to get to the truck bit anyway (certainly southbound)!

jaiash

02/9/2017 at 12:11pm
Location: nr Derby
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..but do you have go through or alongside the lorry area to be able to see if the caravan area has space? If the caravan spaces are full can you get back to lorry area or do you have to drive out?

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JuanHuNose

02/9/2017 at 12:54pm
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Quote: Originally posted by jaiash on 02/9/2017
..but do you have go through or alongside the lorry area to be able to see if the caravan area has space? If the caravan spaces are full can you get back to lorry area or do you have to drive out?

No, you can see clearly. There are plenty of caravan spaces, easy to pull into, easy to pull out of, and you can even see your outfit from the inside of the services. We were there on the busiest weekend of the summer and there was loads of room (spaces on either side of us as well, which is always nice!).

Didn`t pay that much attention to the HGV bit when we parked there, as I`m pretty certain we would have had to go beyond the caravan area to get there!

Ray Clayton

02/9/2017 at 5:27pm
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I park with the lorrys at Doncaster North Services, only because i have never managed to get in the caravan places.
And by the looks of things, the lorry ones bloody better lol

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kenles

02/9/2017 at 6:11pm
Location: Gloucestershie
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So you have found the best motorway services we get our meat from there nice showers to

shaggy2000

06/9/2017 at 1:02pm
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Most of the services that I've used are fine, however I recently stopped at one going North bound from Cornwall, and could I heck as like find it.

There were signposts saying they had a caravan parking area, but nobody could find it. I even asked the gentleman I eventually parked next too and he didn't know where it was.

Eventually we found out that the caravan parking area was right next to the lorry area, but because there was no clear marking which was which, the lorrys used the whole area.

colinlob

06/9/2017 at 7:55pm
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Or in the opposite vein, there were only a couple of spaces in the caravan area at Cherwell Valley on the M40 a few weeks ago as there were four car transporters parked in there, all signed for a well known car company beginning with "F". This was despite the lorry park being huge and a lot less than half full. However, perhaps one of these lorry drivers read the sign wrong. He was carrying vans. (CarryVan)

gregg495

08/9/2017 at 2:34pm
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I drive articulated lorries for a living, away all week in my truck and a caravaner.
I don't mind caravans in the lorry park, but please think about this.
I have to by law take an 11 hour rest after my daily shift.
We can only use the services, if the truck park is full at the time of stopping we use the coach park. ( if we can get in )
Then we get verbally abused of the staff.
The summer time is worst for truckers who again by law take a 45 minute break after 41/2 hours drive, but can't get in for caravans.

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Armleywhite

09/9/2017 at 7:17pm
Location: Leeds
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Just driven back from Blackpool and stopped at the Rivington services on the M61 for a brief stop. Caravan area clearly marked 80% full of vans and small lorries that shouldn't have been there! Sadly, there is never anyone at these places to enforce the parking of any of the vehicles.

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colinlob

10/9/2017 at 12:56am
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Gregg, I absolutely get and agree that you need to have rest breaks by law, but two of the car transporters turned up while we were having a comfort and refresh stop and we were told by the motorhome driver in front of us that the other two turned up ten minutes before us. Seemed odd that all four were car transporters for the same company. Perhaps they didn't want to lose their vehicles in the main lorry park. Only one was carrying anything. Cherwell Valley has a fairly large truck park, which when we were there was well over half empty. Safe journeys.

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