Alex Trelinski
PALMA’S mayor, Jaime Martinez, has declared war on motorhome settlements that have popped up in recent years, with fines announced of up to €1,500 on owners who stay parked up too long or break other rules.
New civic regulations are being drafted and are expected to come into force within two months- in time for the peak tourist season.
Residents have complained about clusters of campervans staying in areas for long periods and taking up precious parking spaces as well leaving litter.
The new rules include a ban on parking a van for more than 10 days in the same place, with sanctions varying between €750 and €1,500.
They also make it very clear to motorhome owners that their vehicle can only be used for parking- and nothing else.
The draft statute says: “It is understood that the vehicle is camping and, therefore, violates this article, when the occupants remain inside or carry out activities that denote a use other than parking, such as sleeping, eating, and drinking.”
Caravans will also come under the new rules which bars them from being parked in Palma if they are uncoupled from their towing vehicle.
The statute makes it clear that ‘motorhomes and caravans will not be allowed to camp in the municipality, except in the areas expressly authorised and signposted by the Town Hall’.
Despite the rules, the mobile homes can park in places allowed for other vehicles, so long as they comply with traffic regulations and observe the new restrictions.
Once 10 days of parking in the same place elapses, the vehicle has to be moved a minimum of 250 metres from the previous spot.
The day and time of arrival must be displayed on the windscreen and be clearly visible from the outside.
It will be forbidden to stay in the parking space with the engine running or to start it intermittently, even to charge the batteries or to operate air conditioning systems.
In addition, the vehicle can only be in contact with the ground through the wheels, so stabilising legs or any other type of device will not be used, except for the wedges provided for in the general traffic regulations.
Items like tables, chairs, or refrigerators cannot be set up outside the van, and the vehicle cannot emit any type of fluids or noise.
Like in the case of overstaying a parking spot, fines of up to €1,500 can be levied.
If a motorhome or caravan owner is not a Spanish resident, a police officer will set the fine level and if it cannot be paid on the spot, he would have the power to immobilise the vehicle, and if it need be, have it towed to the municipal depot.
READ MORE:
- Residents call for a dedicated motorhome park as vehicles use shopping centre facilities on Spain’s Costa Blanca
- Motorhomes staying illegally overnight causes car park closure on Spain’s Costa Blanca
- Freeloading motorhome owners who snub ‘approved’ overnight sites could be fined in Spain’s Valencian Community
