Last year the States voted 20 to 18 in favour of examining potential sites after the government and the parish of St Peter clamped down on the use of the Le Port area in St Ouen’s Bay, which had become popular with motorhome owners.
A series of complaints was received about behaviour in the area, prompting authorities to restrict parking to a maximum 12 hours in any 24-hour period.
And following further issues with late-night activity this summer, including the lighting of fires and ignoring requests from honorary police officers, the parish decided this week to ban parking in the area altogether between 11pm and 5am.
Senator Steve Pallett, who brought last year’s proposition to the States in a bid to find a solution, said that he would now like to see ‘movement’ on plans to trial potential new sites for campervans.
‘I have seen the proposals that have been put together and they have been presented to the Constables’ Committee by the Infrastructure Minister,’ he said.
‘It involves having trial schemes for campervans and motorhomes at various sites around the Island. In terms of where sites could be, they are all over of the Island but most I think are in the west.
‘The trials haven’t been able to happen this year due to the pandemic but I would hope that they will now happen by Easter.’
The Senator said he felt the issue with the Le Port site was that it had become a ‘free-for-all’ and if campervan usage was to continue in the Island it needed to be better controlled.
‘We would need to see details taken of who is using a site, so if there are any issues with mess or antisocial behaviour the authorities can contact the people involved,’ he said.
‘What we don’t want is a situation like you have had at Le Port where really it has been a free-for-all, with people lighting fires illegally and sleeping in unsuitable vehicles. I can understand the recent decision St Peter took and support it.
‘There are other issues – like people using old stoves to cook on which are dangerous. What I want to see is vehicles registered with DVS using the sites and something in place so we know who is down there.’
He added that he had been disappointed that two ministers tasked with taking forward his proposals, Environment Minister John Young and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis, had not ‘kept him in the loop’.
St Ouen Constable Richard Buchanan, who supported Senator Pallett’s propositon, said that he would like to see a booking system and proper facilities introduced for any new sites.
‘I don’t want people to stop camping but it needs to be done properly,’ he said.
‘There would need to be some kind of booking system, power points, proper parking spaces and proper facilities.’
