Call for camper van drivers to be fined if they stay overnight in Northumberland village

Parking charges were introduced at the Beadnell Bay car park last summer with Northumberland County Council pledging to review the situation after 12 months.

Beadnell Parish Council is keen for plans to resolve some of the issues to be progressed as quickly as possible.

Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson, ward county councillor, admitted: “This has really come to the fore in recent weekends when we’ve seen unprecedented numbers of people in the area, including camper vans parking where they’re not supposed to be.

"In the long-term, redesign work with Iain Robson of Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to remark the car park and put in fencing is well underway.

"In the short-term, I’ve requested that wardens visit that car park more often due to the number of complaints I’ve had about overnight parking by camper vans.”

Cllr Jen Hall, parish council vice chairman, called for the review of parking charges to go ahead despite the recent coronavirus lockdown.

“One of the problems is we have a 72-hour parking charge which seems to say ‘you can stay here for 72 hours’,” she explained. “Please can we review that and have something a bit more sensible?

"I believe tickets have been issued and people fined for staying there overnight so there has been some success but we need to get the word out that if you stay there you will be fined.”

Cllr Renner-Thompson responded: “Part of my intention when we have the review is to flag up the 72-hour parking because although there is a little sign saying ‘no camping’, a traffic warden there in the day time can’t prove they’re camping. They’re parked there which they’re allowed to do.”

Concerns about overnight parking by camper vans have also been raised elsewhere on the Northumberland coast, including Alnmouth.

It was also confirmed that all businesses trading from the car park have the required permits.

Concerns had previously been raised by a member of the public about the businesses taking up valuable parking spaces.

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