Salobreña considers that the amount of motorhomes and caravans that are parked around town is a problem, hence the measures taken to dissuade them.

Municipal bylaws expressly prohibit overnight parking of this kind of vehicle within the municipality, which is enforced by Policía Local patrols.

For this reason, the Department of Urban Development & Works has decided to ‘get tough’ by installing oblong, concrete blocks of cement to prevent motorhomes parking along streets where other forms of dissuasion haven’t worked. These blocks weigh between 500 and 1,000 kilos (one metric tonne).

We’re talking about 50 of this concrete blocks that will be placed starting from yesterday.

The Mayor, Javier Ortega and Councillor for Citizen Safety, Antonio Rodríguez were present for a photo shoot on the municipal fairground, next to the Zona Verde del Plan Parcial Playa. Police officers told the owners of these vehicles that were parked there to move on.

Mayor Ortega said that particularly annoying were those that parked along the Paseo Marítimo (seafront promenade) and in some cases, even on pedestrian pavements. He also urged camper-van owners to use specific facilities for their kind of vehicles on the Costa Tropical… something that Salobreña lacks.

“We’re not against camper vans, because they have the right to drive through town and even park, but not to camp,” he said, adding, “In fact, we’re in contact with several investors who are interested in setting up a camper-van park.”

Editorial comment: There are two kinds of camper van owners; the retired camper-van owner and the New Age, converted comercial van. Is one kind more liable to be irresponsible when it comes to disposing of waste? This kind of behaviour exists on both sides, if we are to be honest, but not to the same degree, so you can’t put the blame exclusively on the younger generation.

Besides, in our younger days we enjoyed societies with much more freedom and far fewer laws.

Camper-vanning is off-season tourism that should be made welcome and towns if they consider themselves to be tourism-orientated, they should provide the facilities.

Salobreña recently did a land swap, allotting a large publicly owned plot to a religious group, when it could have been used to set up a camping site, which is, many might consider, tremendously short sighted.

Oh, and by the way, judging by the photo, the blocks are about as effective as a chocolate teapot.

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

Keywords: Camper Vans, Prohibition, Overnight, Concrete Blocks

news, andalucia, granada, costa tropical, salobrena, camper vans, prohibition, overnight, concrete blocks

Reader’s comment: “There are a number of camper areas in Salobreña, some are hardstanding others dirt, non has any water /sewage disposal . The areas near la Guadia beach have areas of cane quite close; this is used as a toilet . The hardstanding regularly has 50 or 60 campers and some seem to be there throughout the year. None contribute to town, only to Dia or Carrefour.” – Martin Riley

Reader’s comment: “Sadly for the environment and most of us, the effulant from these vans is not channeled, as it should be to proper facilities. Perhaps the elderly retired might be able to pay whatever it cost to properly dispose of waste, but the younger and less well off or alternative lifestyles?
Straight into the drains or sea? No worse I guess, the new builds housing along the wonderful coast or proposed 500 room hotels. Of course the waste will go to approved areas. Honest gunvor!” – Patrick Barry Storey