Readers’ Letters: Campervans 'not doing any harm' or 'getting away with it'?

Readers’ Letters is a free weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This week, we’ve collated some of our readers’ comments that have been left on recent stories.

One of the stories this week that received a lot of comments was our report on the Harrogate councillor who is calling for parking restrictions to be introduced on Stray Rein to prevent campervans parking there overnight. Cllr Andrew Timothy said at least 10 residents had raised the issue with him this year.

I live locally and a motor home owner. Unfortunately this trend of banning camper vans and motorhomes from parking in towns is becoming all too common. The vast majority of us are responsible and leave no trace from their visit but are an easy target, often getting blamed for littering etc. 

Councils should concentrate on the positive, the money spent on the local attractions including restaurants shouldn’t be underestimated. Time for NYC [North Yorkshire Council] to wake up.

Angela McPartlan

I drive a VW transporter camper as my everyday vehicle and regularly park in Harrogate centre and on Stray Rein when walking my dog.

In last few weeks only been one motorhome which is permanently parked.

Lynda Corner

We always stop here when visiting Harrogate. Easy to walk into town but we don’t overnight. We go to a pub stopover for a good night’s sleep.

Jean Bowman

Who is calling for more parking restrictions? There’s only a handful of campers there and they aren’t doing any harm.

Bradley Pennicott

I think the clue is in the name "camper van". I regularly walk along that road and seldom see less than 6 vans parked up there. They are still there the following day. 

When a pitch on a site is £30+, it's a nice cheap overnight stop if you can get away with it, and they are.

Nick Hudson

As highlighted in last week's Readers' Letters, roadworks continue to cause frustration and annoyance.

I complained to NYC about the Otley Road roadworks, which were allowed a ludicrous seven weeks to install two pipes to link a farm to a borehole at the Curious Cow roundabout. 

Following a Freedom of Information request I established this was a private venture by Harrogate Spring Water and benefits no residents in Harrogate. 

It cost just under £800 for a licence to be allowed to dig up the road and cause traffic chaos at the start of a new school term, throughout that term and into the next. 

Despite my protests about the lack of progress with an army of workers doing very little, the works have, as predicted, run over, leaving four-way traffic lights at the roundabout still in place.

Neil Crabtree

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

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