Motorhome and campervan owners have been warned they will face an 80 per cent hike in overnight parking fees across a popular tourist region.

It comes after East Devon District Council announced a hike in its overnight parking charges for the larger vehicles from £11 to £20.

The rapid price increase follows a consultation on the changes, which was launched earlier this year and received feedback from more than 1,000 respondents.

The consultation looked at how the council could improve overnight parking arrangements for motorhomes in two Exmouth car parks.

GETTY/EAST DEVON COUNCIL

At Maer Road Car Park, the new measures will see improvements made to encourage responsible tourism, including installing a freshwater tap, as well as additional disposal points.

The council said it hopes the facilities will offer "added convenience" for overnight visitors, as well as address growing concerns over inappropriate disposal of wastewater by some visitors.

The changes will also see new parking bay markings brought in at Queen’s Drive Echelon, which aim to help visitors maintain a safe distance between vehicles when parking overnight.

The new improvement measures will reportedly be paid for by existing revenues, with the council detailing how, going forward, the ongoing management and maintenance costs will be funded through the new parking fees.

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Drivers of motorhomes and campervans will have to pay 80 per cent more to park their vehicle

While the cost hike aims to encourage responsible parking, the council explained that £5 from each overnight stay will be used towards enforcement activity of motorhomes, which have been linked to anti-social behaviour.

As part of the changes, the council will also be trialling RingGo-only payments for overnight parking sessions, which will now be limited to overnight stays of two nights, with the vehicles unable to return within 72 hours.

The local authority explained in its consultation that under the previous fee of £11 per night, larger vehicles were able to park for a maximum of three consecutive nights, which also includes 24-hour parking in the chosen location, "making it an ideal stop-over location".

The need for higher fees comes after reports revealed that between April 2023 and March 2024, there were 4,294 overnight stopovers across both car parks, which proved strained for resources.

The council stated: "There are many dedicated campsites that provide the full camping experience; however, our car parks are unique in that they provide direct sea views and easy access to the beachfront.

"Ensuring responsible tourism will be a future priority for the car parking team, and this will include providing waste disposal facilities to be used by touring vehicles. Those who do not abide by the rules, or outstay their welcome, will not be welcome or permitted to return."

Since the council introduced overnight parking, it explained that three primary concerns have been raised by residents.

The first being that some motorhome owners have been incorrectly disposing of their dish and shower water, as well as chemical toilet waste, by putting it in car park drains.

GETTY | Local councils have been limiting the number of overnight parking spots due to resident concerns

The second issue raised revolves around drivers of the larger vehicles parking too close to each other when sleeping along Queen's Drive Echelon, which can be a fire hazard.

The final concern surrounded drivers playing loud music, having barbeques, and placing items such as tables, chairs and bicycles outside vehicles within the car park, all of which contribute to anti-social behaviour. However, the council did note that daytime parking sessions will not be affected by the price hike.

Councillor Sam Hawkins added: "Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback about overnight motorhome stopovers in Exmouth.

"Your thoughts have shaped these new arrangements, which aim to ensure that our beautiful seaside town continues to be a wonderful place to be for residents and tourists."