Lincolnshire Against Motorhome Barriers (LAMB) Page.

At the behest of two Lincolnshire County councillors feathering their local nests and becoming hero's to local parishes, Lincolnshire has now banned Motor Homes from access to its beach terraces. See the story here. 

You will be able to see from the following exchanges that the councillors involved are totally unmoved by any reasonable appeal and take the well known position, of every dogmatic and pedantic politician, which is to not only fail to consider reason, but actually to treat new information as unwelcome mail and take their ball away too. 

'I am not prepared to go into a pointless circle of arguments with you..' 

'Exactly. You have taken selective and discriminatory action against a whole class of resident and holidaymaker, and will not entertain objection and appeal.' 

Oh dear he now writes a rambling dis-jointed letter to the press, first denying a threat to close terraces then re-iterating it again. See press cuts  Here

Busy enough in the community already, I was rather hoping these councillors would see reason and review options. Having talked Lincolnshire into erecting costly barriers, I suppose it's asking too much for them to confess they hadn't researched this enough. 

Society cannot have it both ways. It cannot legalise motor home ownership, tax it, place levies on it and then say they are not welcome at places other people can take for granted.

This seems to be a UK only problem. I have never come across it anywhere else and have successfully had rules changed in the Caravan Club and other areas since I first opposed these discriminatory barriers. All councils should be against them; not using them themselves!

So this page is dedicated to motor home barriers and let's start with Lincolnshire.   

Letter to Sutton on Sea 1st Resident's Association.
 Hi Joyce and Adrian, 
  Thanks for allowing me for the first time to put a case to the 
 Association which at least brings a new dimension to the issue of the 
 height barriers and hopefully enough to bring about a review of policy 
 towards them that is not based solely on input of those who have no 
 interest in motor caravanning. 
 
 I did not have the advantage of Stephen's letter in advance but would 
 like to address three aspects of it. 
 
 He confirms that he has acted for and in the interests of small local 
 communities and their Parochial councils. The beaches and the coast, as 
 well as the a amenities there, belong to the whole of Lincolnshire and 
 are tourist amenities. It is totally improper for them to be managed 
 for and in the interest of locals only. 
 
 Again he repeats the threat of closing the terraces entirely. That 
 sound very churlish. 'Have my barriers or we shut it all down'. Yes by 
 all means. Shutting them to all would be fair. But he and Councillor  Davie know full well that they would alienate the whole community by 
 doing that so it is an empty threat. Unfairly picking on one type of 
 user is silly. Anyone can camp out in a 4 x 4, low Transit van, or 
 camping trailer and these barriers cant prevent that. 
 
 A Mablethorpe business man took time to ring me today and congratulate  my letter in The Leader. He said 'These councillors don't know what  they're doing. They need voting out. These vehicles bring business to our area' Another has cancelled his holiday in Lincolnshire. 


 Stephen has asked for The Association to support the LCC in this. I suspect he really means himself. 

These barriers, have cost the LCC a lot of money so I can understand the Councillors behind them being reluctant to admitting they didn't think it through too well. As a founder member of the Association I am asking for it to support the By-Law. The re-instatement of the attendants to manage the terraces so the barriers can be opened during the day, various charges to cover the costs, and prosecution of any type of caravan after hours and of course no discrimination against tax and ratepayers during daylight hours at least. 

I hope that the Councillors will compromise on this and look at it again but somehow from the remarks they are making I doubt it. 


 Wishes 

Unsolicited response from Cllr Palmer. 

 Dear Keith, 
 I am not going to go down the endless circle of emails with you again 
 however I think I can see convergence of agreement on some points. 


 However again you corrupt my meanings. I have not advocated the closing of the terrace. I merely gave advanced  warning of the possible result of the lawless actions of some motor 
 homers who I call Freeloaders and I will keep calling Freeloaders  because that is what they are. 

If Cllr. Davie did close the terrace and  be in no doubt the County Council own it and could, I would be against it and would be in opposition to that but there would be no doubt in my 
mind who caused the problem. 


The facilities are not just there for the use of Lincolnshire people 
they are there for all who come from all over the country and abroad 
 but it is the people of Lincolnshire who pay for its upkeep. It is the 
 people of East Lindsey that pay for the toilets. It is the people of 
 Huttoft who have been threatened with violence, have had threats made 
 against their loved ones, their pets and it is normal day tourists who 
 have been intimidated by these freeloaders. I am the county councillor 
for Huttoft and I have a duty to listen to their concerns and the 
concerns of the small businesses that are the backbone of Lincolnshire 
tourist economy who feel they are being short changed in their 
investment to tourism locally.

I totally reject your implication the terrace is being managed for the interests of the local community only, however I will not tolerate having their lives ruined by the activities of a few lawless motor home owners. If you don't believe me go down and talk to those living nearest to the terrace and ask there opinions on  motor home owners, they live in dread of the summer season coming. Why are most of the houses up for sale in what would appear to many to be an idyllic spot to live? 

You are quite right people in smaller vehicles could camp out but they  are not the historical problem it is those in large vehicles who are; the ones who have lived on the terrace for long periods entrenching themselves and taking pseudo ownership. Perhaps you should give your attention to them and tell them to stop their criminal behaviour after 
all it is them who are putting the reputations of motor home owners in this area in jeopardy. 

I find your remarks offensive that you think that I ask for support of myself, if you knew me at all you would know I put myself last in  everything. I work as a councillor 7 days a week most weeks and even now I am answering this email and others while down in Bath with my daughter who has a medical problem at this time that requires my and my wife's support. So please don't ever accuse me of that. 

One man has rung you in support of your letter, please!,, I have told you before the people are fed up with what has gone on at the terrace and the good will I have received in the attempts by LCC to control it even if a few think those attempts are misguided or the wrong solution. Do you really think that the option of having site attendance personnel 
in place and prosecution of offenders is not considered? Do you know 
how much that would cost? Not just at Huttoft but at the other sea  terrace sites along the coast? However it is still being talked about as an option.

Finally I am pleased you are calling for support of the by laws, but charging people to use the terrace I disagree with and would not be necessary at this time if some people in motor homes did not abuse the privilege that was offered them and why should everyone else pay 
because of problems caused by a few freeloaders. Come and enjoy the sight and sea views and then go to a proper facility for overnight stays that would truly benefit the local economy or in your case and  other locals back to home. Simple. Then there would not be a need for barriers, attendants, or paying.

Come on Keith use your influence and the DU on these fellow motor home users to bring them into line and  stop the council kicking, acknowledge there is a problem and who it is 
caused by, work with and not against authorities. If you do that it would help me influence the barrier situation. I am asking Cllr. Davie  to leave the right barrier off and just leave the left barrier up so  cars can go to that side, as it's the smaller and not big enough for 
motor homes anyway. If the people causing the problems do not stay over 
night then there will be no need to put the barrier up again would there? 


I think we can work together on this and I am willing to meet with you 
to discuss further. I have ideas of my own as well and it involves more 
than just the terraces but all council owned car parks with toilet 
facilities throughout the county in making them more motor home 
friendly and encouraging law abiding motor home based tourism to 
Lincolnshire. 


Best Regards 
Steve Palmer 
My reply: 

Dear Steve, 

 Again your tone is rather dismissive, entrenched, and dictatorial. I 
 have merely Cc,'d you in from politeness but it is my right to alert 
 the Association about a local issue which is now arising and to clear up 
 some misapprehensions they had until now. 
 
Your request for the Association to support LCC was a request to support 
your position. The LCC's duty is not to discriminate against any tax 
and ratepayers. 
 
You did totally ignore the people who are motor homers and did not 
consult them at all. Had you done so, this option would have been 
discounted for very good reasons; not least disabled users and indeed 
special needs coaches being excluded from our beaches. We are now only 
just reacting to the barriers since we had no prior input but you are objecting to any valid concerns about them. 
 
I have explained to you endlessly but you do not hear, that most of 
 us are not freeloaders, we pay to stay on sites and we pay to enjoy the 
same facilities as everyone else. 
 
I object to your generalisation of violent behaviour by vehicle type 
 user too. In any case how many people from the area have been 
 threatened? Who accosted who first? Are you saying they were just 
 passing by and minding their own business when this happened or,as 
 I suspect, were the instigators of the confrontation? 
 
Since you are relating these claims,I take it you don't mind giving chapter and verse and 
indeed details of police action too. 

I am also informed that these massive areas completely full of 
motor homes is an exaggeration too. Can you supply times, dates and any 
other evidence to back these claims? Did anyone photograph these 
inundations? 
 
 Car parks are often full of cars too. So what? Why a distinction? All have paid rates, purchase tax and vehicle excise so it's about first come first served then. But what about vans that have the same footprint of a large car like mine? How am I taking up more 
space? In any case why height restrictions if ground space is the issue? 


Height restriction can only affect occupancy. When there are multiple issues, then it does smack of a dislike of a particular vehicle or lifestyle. So what was it? Overnighting or space or violence or refuse? There is an appearance of a concocted case. 

Surely The Association should have details of these claims to support a draconian policy. 


Yes these terraces are a County tourist facility and not to be managed for the locals in the Huttoft area at all. The problems they have been experiencing is entirely down to the Council policy of not managing the sites. 


Of course you cannot expect to abandon a massive hard standing next to the sea without all sorts of undesirables moving in. Its a no brainer and a Council failure. To try to mitigate that by discrimination is totally inappropriate. 
 
I am getting lots of support about this matter and when site owners realise you are banning their customers from enjoying the coast' as they soon will, why on earth will they be pleased with you? 


Haven't you noticed the amount of touring motor homes around our coast in the summer? 'Lincolnshire bans motor homes from the coast' has to be an irrational maxim for a coastal tourist area. More and more people are using them and it's time we got used to that and considered them more now. 
 
 Motor Homes are a reality; especially in a tourist area and they bring money with them too. It is this money that maintains our hamlets too. This is a holiday county and we residents should understand that. 
 
There is not one motor homer who wouldn't support me. 
 
It's not us who dispensed with parking attendants to control the terraces but the Council and the problem started there. 
 
I am not a councillor so it's not for me to solve the problem of wild campers but discrimination against high vehicles, now a common and accepted form of vacation, is certainly not acceptable. Until government and authorities make it illegal to own and run them but on the contrary, continue to accept the taxes and levies on them, then they cannot legitimately bar them and treat them differently from any other private user and not expect uproar if they do. 
 
Believe me I am far too busy working for drivers on a national basis and local church and charity fundraising to need this issue on my doorstep too but I do like to go to the terraces have a swim and a nice mobile beach hut to change in. And when the grand kids are here why cant we take our mobile beach hut there for a day? That's exactly the concept of motor homing. I have been fighting these barriers in the UK for years now with some success. 
Even the Caravan Club were locking motor homers in or out after 8 PM on London sites. Of course caravanners were able to pass under to enjoy evenings out in their cars. So even that club hadn't twigged that, when on tour, it's the motor homer's only means of transport. I was successful and now the barriers don't operate till 11 PM. But why is it not like it anywhere else except the UK? 
 
It's rather ironic that the lead councillor for height barriers happens to share the ward of a lead campaigner against them .I would be most happy to meet with you if the outcome is the immediate un banning of motor homes during the daylight hours. 
 
For what it's worth, I am certain the prospect of prosecution, even clamping, will deter the vast majority of those who have hitherto taken advantage of the free open space. Being illegal does have an impact on where most of us stop at any time. First question is always 'can we stay here legally?' Then prosecute any others still on site. 


Why should these terraces be free anyway? Up to £10 per day £2 per hour £4 per 3 hours would be very reasonable and would help pay for any control. 
 
Wishes 
> 
Cllr Palmer:

Hello Keith, 
Like I said at the start of this email chain I am not prepared to go into a pointless circle of arguments with you again. You think I am entrenched, take a step back and have a look at what you say. 
Anyway it is pointless and I will just have to except and agree to differ. 
 
Thank you for your comments they are noted. I have informed the portfolio holder of your position. 

KP:

Exactly. You have taken selective and discriminatory action against a whole class of resident and holidaymaker, and will not entertain objection and appeal. 
 
Including my last response to your unsolicited reply, how big is this email train you are complaining of? And bearing in mind, I am writing for thousands of us? 
 
In this weeks Leader, there were two other letters against you too. 
 
It is you who have instigated these barriers because the Council had abandoned these open spaces. 
 
You now have the legal means to control the sites without discrimination but are refusing point blank and are thus entrenched in failing to accept your policy was ill conceived and discriminating against holiday makers along our coast. 
 
That is why I am now going over your head to The Association, The Council, and the Media. 
 
If you wish to re-consider other options please do let me know. 
 
Wishes 
 
Keith 

See corres with Council leader Here

See the Palmer press statements on closing the terraces totally and readers letters. Here