Major parking in changes in Lytham and St. Annes - including for motorhome users

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet has approved a series of new parking rules for the neighbouring Fylde coast towns, including one which outlaws the vehicles - also known as motor caravans - between 6pm and 8am.

It comes after what a report to cabinet members said were “years [of] complaints from residents” about the homes-on-wheels reducing the spaces available for other visitors and residents - along with their ”cumulative visual impact” on the coastline.

The document also referred to the “antisocial behaviour of a minority of motor caravan users”, who dispose of liquid waste down drains and in park areas.

>» Sign up for our free newsletters now.

However, in spite of the historical clamour for action, some locals told a County Hall consultation into the plans that the prohibition risked pushing the problem onto side streets or town centre roads off the seafront which were even more unsuitable for the vehicles to park up.

Several respondents called for the introduction of a residents’ parking scheme to address the issue, but the county council said it has already considered all such requests that have been made for the area - and stressed that any fresh ones would have to meet its strict criteria before any permit systems could be introduced.

HIghways officers also said there was “no evidence” to suggest that motorhome drivers would seek alternative on-street parking elsewhere in and around Lytham and St. Annes.

The motor caravan ban will start in Ansdell Road South in Lytham and run along Inner Promenade, South Promenade and North Promenade, terminating in Todmorden Road in St. Annes. It will also include King Edward Avenue, Fairlawn Road and Seafield Road in Lytham.

The restriction is expected to come into force by early May, although an exact date has not yet been confirmed.

Objections received to the prohibition claimed that it was unfair to target motorhomes, because - like any vehicle parked up along the promenade - their occupants were likely to be visitors to the area, who should be welcomed and not discriminated against. It was also noted that the number of motor caravan owners had increased since the onset of the pandemic, meaning local authorities should be exploring how best to accommodate them.

The meeting at which the rules were agreed heard that Fylde Council, with which the county authority has worked closely on the plans, has increased the amount of off-road motorhome parking available in the borough - including at its Fairhaven Road car park - with further options now being considered.

PARKING PERIL

Other parking changes given the green light by cabinet members include reducing the current 18-hour waiting limit on Inner Promenade to four hours and correspondingly extending the current two-hour time limit on South Promenade- in order to ensure a turnover of available on-street parking options for visitors.

However, some of the 353 people who responded to the consultation warned that the reduced waiting time around Fairhaven Lake would hit local businesses, because “visitors do not come to the seaside for only four hours - [they] often spend the day in the area”.

The proposed limits, it was claimed, would “provide insufficient time for families to spend the day enjoying the facilities like mini golf, the splash park, beaches and arcades, or walk into the town to have a look around and have some lunch”.

There was also a warning that the plans would either reduce the number of tourists coming into the area or clog up the inner streets of the two towns. The risk of congestion caused by people moving their vehicles as they reached their parking time limit - and then circulating around the area looking for a new space - was also highlighted.