Alex Trelinski
MOTORHOME owners looking for illegal overnight stays by ignoring registered sites are set to break the law in tourist zones across the Valencian Community from May 8.
The new rule mirrors a recent nationwide ban announced in Portugal on motorhomes parking up wherever they want to to save money, or to perhaps stay ‘under the radar’ from authorities.
The Portuguese law started last month and defined overnight parking as running between 9.00 pm and 7.00 am.
During the day, a motorhome in Portugal can park anywhere but without opening up windows and awnings that can be classified as ‘setting up camp’.
In the Valencian Community, the motorhome changes come within the whole spectrum of regulating tourist accommodation in the region.
The law ensures proper registration of rental properties so that owners pay tax to the regional government and also maintain an appropriate standard.
Motorhome parks fall under that classification which strongly implies as well that vehicle owners choosing to park illegally will be fined.
But the legislation appears to talk about ‘designated’ tourist areas where the accommodation and motorhome rules would apply.
Therefore there is a possible grey area if a motorhome is parked up in a non-tourist zone in the Valencian Community.
The argument under Spain’s traffic laws is that ‘so long as a vehicle is properly parked, it is irrelevant as to whether or not as to whether there are people in it’.
The law though appears to give councils added teeth to move against illegal motorhome parks that have been established in scenic and coastal areas within the region
