Motorway Service Areas - Free Parking????

HardWorker2010_2

With the recent ruling that PPCs can't offer and charge for parking on other people's land I suspect all motorway service areas should now be regarded as having free unlimited parking until the land owner erects signs requesting payment for beyond the statuary minimum of 2 hours free parking.

The signs that my drivers currently see in service area carparks all seem to be erected by the PPCs and are therefore not worth reading.:T:T:T

trisontana

You must ask yourself why you have to pay to park in motorway services anyway. All the ones I have seen in mainland Europe are free, so why not here? You might hear the argument that these service areas could be used for unauthorised "park and ride" purposes. But I don't think that holds water, as most of them are in the middle of nowhere and not near towns.

HardWorker2010_2

trisontana wrote: »

You must ask yourself why you have to pay to park in motorway services anyway. All the ones I have seen in mainland Europe are free, so why not here? You might here the argument that these service areas could be used for unauthorised "park and ride" purposes. But I don't think that holds water, as most of them are in the middle of nowhere and not near towns.

Agree with everything you've said.

I guess I'm looking at it from the point of view of a driver who feels the need to get some sleep during a long overnight journey.

My guys tell me they set their alarms for 1.75 hours and then move on, stopping at the next services for more sleep if they still feel unfit to drive safely. On a few occasions they have slept right through their alarms and triggered a fake PCN which I always ignore.

mikey72

So long as I can still use the free showers.

trisontana

mikey72 wrote: »

So long as I can still use the free showers.

If you stay in the shower for longer than three hours then you will be served with a "penalty notice" (as well as suffering from wrinkly skin).

mikey72

trisontana wrote: »

If you stay in the shower for longer than three hours then you will be served with a "penalty notice" (as well as suffering from wrinkly skin).

That would really annoy the truckers, who think of them as "theirs"

Kite2010

trisontana wrote: »

You must ask yourself why you have to pay to park in motorway services anyway. All the ones I have seen in mainland Europe are free, so why not here? You might hear the argument that these service areas could be used for unauthorised "park and ride" purposes. But I don't think that holds water, as most of them are in the middle of nowhere and not near towns.

And when was the last time you saw a motorway services car-park nearly full? (Apart from if the motorway is closed)

mikey72

Kite2010 wrote: »

And when was the last time you saw a motorway services car-park nearly full? (Apart from if the motorway is closed)

Quite a few times in summer, but then I usually park in the hgv area, with the other motorhomes and caravans, to save trying to reverse in and out. They tend to fill up as well.

taffy056

mikey72 wrote: »

Quite a few times in summer, but then I usually park in the hgv area, with the other motorhomes and caravans, to save trying to reverse in and out. They tend to fill up as well.

When are they full at 2 in the morning then ?

mikey72

taffy056 wrote: »

When are they full at 2 in the morning then ?

I doubt they're full on christmas day either. I think you mis-read the question.

Kite2010 wrote: »

And when was the last time you saw a motorway services car-park nearly full? (Apart from if the motorway is closed)

taffy056

mikey72 wrote: »

I doubt they're full on christmas day either. I think you mis-read the question.

No I quite understand the question. The point is service stations are very rarely full, I use them and have never really seen them even a quarter full. Perhaps you misread the fact that scammers operate in these car parks?