North Yorks Council apologies over motorhome signs

Following a campaign from Andy Strangeway, temporary banning orders preventing motorhomers from parking overnight at sites in Filey, Scarborough and Cayton were not replaced with permanent orders when they expired. As such, there was then no banning order in force and the signs should have been promptly removed on 23 July. However, the council didn’t place works orders with its contractors to remove them until a number of weeks later and the final sign wasn’t removed until 11 weeks after the banning had lapsed.

Andy Strangeway duly made a written complaint which was dealt with by Michael Leah, Strategic Resources, North Yorkshire County Council. So here’s his humble-pie eating apology in full:

Dear Mr Strangeway,

Having conducted the Stage 2 review of your complaint, below is the summary of my findings:

As the temporary traffic regulation orders expired on 22nd July 2015, all signs should be been immediately removed on 23rd July 2015 and replaced only in the locations where the permanent order came into force on the 21st/22nd August 2015 (dependant on the location).

Works orders were placed with our contractor to remove the signs on 12th August 2015.  Whilst signs in Whitby and Sandsend were removed relatively promptly after this date, regrettably signing work in Filey, Scarborough and Cayton was not completed until 8th October 2015. Therefore there were a number of weeks when signs prohibiting the overnight parking of motor caravans were displayed on streets where there was no order of prohibition in place.

Although no enforcement took place during this time, on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council I sincerely apologise for the fact that signs were displayed in some locations for 11 weeks, when no order was in place, and also apologise for any inconvenience this has caused to you personally and the motorhome community.

I hope you accept both the finding of the review and the apology.

Yours sincerely,

Michael

Michael Leah

Strategic Resources – BES & CS

Follow the history of this case where Andy Strangeway challenged the council’s Statement of Reasons for the banning order.

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