Motril Town Hall is going after campervan visitors parking down on the beach road for Playa Granada and Playa del Poniente.

They intend to install height-control checks at the entrances to parking areas, as simply putting up signs saying “no campervans” doesn’t deter them from parking there, say the Policía Local.

Last weekend there were around 50 campervans parked in the beach area, despite it being foggy all day long. When the police knocked on their doors, they said that they thought the prohibition was against camping, whereas they are only parked up.

The problem is when it’s not a case of just parking up for the night but instead parking up for a week. Which is when the tables and chairs come out… which is most definitely not parking, considers the Town Hall.

Then you have the complaints coming from local campsites that have parking facilities for campervans ending up on the police-station desk.

Motril did bring out a bylaw ten-odd years ago, forbidding such vehicles from cluttering up public-rights of way; i.e., roads and normal parking areas. Fines ranged between 90 and 300, reaching even 450 euros if caught littering… or worse.

It didn’t work.

Now, the Town Hall cannot simply erect these height barriers because they need permission from Costas, who work with the speed of a striking sloth and the reactions of a dead rattlesnake. Consequently, these devices will not be installed until Easter, by which time the paperwork from Costas should have come through.

There will be two of them; one at the entrance near Los Moriscos and one near the Chiringuito Oleaje entrance.

Editorial comment: what the devil is wrong with our town halls along the coast? They should be welcoming campervans not making life impossible for them. Are they not tourists? They complained that there were 50 of them on a cloudy winter’s day… well there was no other bugger on the beach, was there, so what are they moaning about? These visitors don’t hide behind their curtains for the duration of their stay – they go out, eat in restaurants, drink in bars and cafes and buy from local supermarkets.

Whilst in Cuenca a month a go it was please to see that the Town Hall welcomed campervans, (see photo) opposite) providing special parking for them. So, what gives?

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)