Birmingham
On 28th September 2006, Birmingham City Council provided a spreadsheet containing car parking information. An updated version was provided in June 2009 (see below).
Birmingham City Council have further details on their web site Here.
Update 18 July 2007:
Some time after the initial reply from Birmingham City Council above it came to my notice that many other vehicles (e.g. large 4x4s) weigh in excess of the weight limit for Birmingham car parks of 1,524kg (some of the largest 4x4s even being heavier than many motorhomes). A further request for information was sent to the council asking for clarification. In response the council stated "There is not a simple way of visually identifying vehicles that exceed 1,524 kg unladen weight. Parking Attendants are not given written guidance to enable them to judge whether or not a particular vehicle should be issued with a PCN for exceeding this weight limit. They are asked to seek advice from a supervisor if they discover a vehicle that they consider execeeds this weight and this will include large vans, mobile homes, lorrys, and coaches."
On 10th June 2009, in response to a follow-up request, Birmingham City Council provided the following information:
Motor Homes are allowed to park on street however the following would apply: If a vehicle overhangs into a second bay then a ticket must be purchased for the second bay. There are no spaces provided specifically for caravans or motor homes. See notices on site or the Councils internet site (see link above) for hours and charges. Attached to the reply was a table listing the Council's car parks together with the information requested. This can be download in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format from here.
Users of this web site have provided the following information:
Lickey Hills Country Park
Parking area at Lickey Hills, Birmingham - mind the speed-mountains - but there is a large open area where parking is easy -signposted Lickey Hills Visitor Centre. (Thanks to JD for providing this information on 27 February 2008).
Coventry
On 3rd October 2006 Coventry City Council provided the following information:
The Council's car-parking services is administered by an external Company, "CVOne".
1. Height restrictions. CVOne's remit can be segmented into two zones of operation - within the City Centre Ring Road, and outside of the City Centre Ring Road.
Within the City Centre ring road (see map on web site - link below): West Orchards; Barracks; Manor House; New Union Street; Christchurch; Moat Street.
Outside the City Centre ring road: Far Gosford Street 1; Far Gosford Street 2; Clay Lane; Holmsdale Road; Harnall Lane; Leicester Row; Lincoln Street; Arden Street; Peel lane - restricted access; Newdigate Road - restricted access; P&R North - height restriction; P&R South; Aintree Close - height restriction; Cromwell Street; Wellington Street.
Questions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are answered together for the zones within and outside of the City Centre Ring Road.
2. Requirements for parking within bay confines (including any requirement for purchasing two parking tickets where the length of a vehicle means that it overhangs a second bay at its rear). Restrictions do apply for parking outside of a marked bay (bays 5metres x 2.5metres). It is my understanding from the Council's Parking Services department that CVOne will insist on two tickets if a vehicle takes up two bays.
3. Any provision of toilet and waste disposal facilities. No waste disposal or toilet waste facilities exist.
4. Any provision of spaces specifically aimed at motor homes and/or caravans. No specific spaces are marked for motor-homes and/or caravans.
5. Any provision for (or ban on) overnight parking. There is no ban on overnight parking (if the vehicle fits in a bay) however the vehicle should not be occupied.
6. Restricted access caused by narrow roads/entrances." Other than height restrictions, there is no restricted access.
On 12th August 2008, in response to a follow-up request, the Council confirmed that the above information was still accurate and that it does not provide any dedicated parking sites for motorhomes.
Coventry City Council have further details on their web site Here.
Dudley
On 26th September 2006 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council provided the following information:
I would advise that under The Borough of Dudley Off-Street Parking places Order 2006 the class of vehicle is restricted to "Private Motor Car, Light Trade Van or land rover" (unladen weight not exceeding 30cwt and less than 6 feet 6 inches high) or "motorcycle". The Order is available to view on line on the Council's web site (see below). The schedules give details of class of vehicle, position in which they may wait, maxm period they may wait for etc.
Maps of the main town centre car parks are also available on the Parking section under the link "car park maps".
I have no record of toilet/waste disposal facility.
I have no record of restricted access.
Please note I am unable to comment on any provisions of privately owned car parks and do not hold any information on these.
Update 23 July 2007:
Some time after the initial reply from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council above it came to my notice that many other vehicles (e.g. large 4x4s) weigh in excess of 30cwt (some of the largest 4x4s even being heavier than many motorhomes). A further request for information was sent to the council asking for clarification. In response the council stated that the only documentation provided to the patrol officers in respects of the offence of 'Wrong Class of Vehicle' is the parking order. When it was pointed out that the parking order does not actually enable officers to judge the weight of a particular vehicle the council stated "I would advise that several of the vehicles you refer to in are wider and/or longer than a standard parking bay. If a vehicle which is the wrong class is not within a bay, it is most likely that these vehicles would be issued for the offence of being 'Out of Marked Bay' rather than 'Wrong Class'."
On 26th May 2009, in response to a follow-up request, the Council stated "All our currently available information regarding parking can be found at the link below".
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council have further details on their web site Here.
Sandwell Borough
On 6th September 2006 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council provided the following information:
All public car parks in Sandwell have height restriction barriers, set at 2.4m but signed at 2.3m to allow a margin for error, with the exception of the car parks listed below which have no barriers:
Oldbury - Arden Grove; Tipton - Great Bridge (Adj. 49) & High Street Princes End (Adj. 108); Wednesbury - High Bullen, The Shambles & Upper High Street; West Bromwich - Carter's Green & Overend Street.
All car parks have a requirement to park within the bay markings and there is no current provision to enable two tickets to be purchased, although charges only apply in car parks in central West Bromwich. However, consideration would be given as to whether a Penalty Charge Notice issued to a motorhome for not parking within the bay markings should be cancelled. This would depend on the circumstances. No specific policy has been determined on this, as the problem has never arisen in Sandwell.
There are no toilet or waste disposal facilities in any of the car parks.
There is no specific ban on overnight parking.
I do not have information on any restricted access caused by narrow roads which could potentially affect motorhomes.
On 17th April 2008, in response to a follow-up request, the Council confirmed that the above information was still accurate, although parking is restricted to a maximum of 23 hours.
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council have further details on their web site Here.
Solihull
On 14th September 2006 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council provided the following information:
1. Height restrictions. Height restrictions on multi stories are dependant on car park. They restrict any high sided vehicular access. Surface car parks are all restricted to a standard 2.2 metres apart from Monkspath car park.
2. Requirements for parking within bay confines (including any requirement for purchasing two parking tickets where the length of a vehicle means that it overhangs a second bay at its rear). There are no bay restrictions. If the vehicle can get into the car park it is up to the driver to park responsibly. You can not charge for a trailer as this is not a registered vehicle, as long as it has been parked responsibly. The Car Parks Manager does not know of anywhere charging for two bays. Usually if provisions have been made to accommodate larger vehicles it is done by weight, and actual bay size.
3. Any provision of toilet and waste disposal facilities. Solihull has no bespoke areas for camping vehicles. All the surface car parks are restricted to a free stay of 2, 3 or 4 hours. You can purchase a ticket for all day at £12 - £14 in most but these are not intended for camping.
4. Any provision of spaces specifically aimed at motorhomes and/or caravans. There is no provision for motorhomes or caravans in the car parks. The existing parking capacity is stretched and probably would not support it.
5. Any provision for (or ban on) overnight parking. We do not restrict or charge for overnight parking in the surface car parks. There is a night charge in the multi-stories, but these can't accommodate caravans or motor homes.
6. Restricted access caused by narrow roads/entrances. All are restricted by height. There are no narrow entrances/restrictions.
On 9th April 2008, in response to a follow-up request, the council provided the following information:
None of our parking facilities are available for motor homes. There is a class restriction, namely medium/heavy vehicles are not permitted in any of our parks. Motor homes would probably fall within the medium/heavy class of vehicles. We only permit parking within marked bays.
Details of car parking locations are available on the council web site Here. This gives the maximum vehicle heights allowed for each car park. There is a weight restriction as we do not permit medium/heavy vehicles.
We do not restrict or charge for overnight parking in the surface car parks. Refer to the web page mentioned above to work out if motor homes would be allowed to park on any of these sites anyway. There is a night charge for multi-story car parks but motor homes and caravans would not be able to use these anyway. There are no motor home and/or caravan sites in Solihull. No sleeping or eating in vehicles is permitted.
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council have further details on their web site Here.
Walsall
On 28th August 2008, in response to a follow-up request, Walsall Council provided the following information (updated from information initially provided on 9th October 2006):
1. There are no specific facilities for parking of motor homes in Walsall borough.
2. The height restriction on all car parks is 2 metres except for Mountrath Street car park which is 3 metres.
3. Mountrath Street car park has a 7.5 tonnes weight limit and 3m height limit mainly for trade vehicles of Market stall holders. Reasonably parked, oversize vehicles are permitted to park within this car park so long as they are not causing an obstruction to any other correctly parked vehicle. All vehicles must be parked within a marked bay, two pay and display tickets should be purchased if taking up two bays.
4. Other Council pay and display car parks in the town centre have a requirement for vehicles to be less than 3 tonnes in weight, less than 2 metres in height and to be able to fit wholly within a marked bay.
5. There is no provision of toilet and waste disposal facilities
6. There is no specific provision aimed at motor homes/caravans
7. There is a ban on all town centre car parks for eating, sleeping, cooking or camping purposes including overnight.
8. There is no known restricted access caused by narrow roads/entrances
You should note that these responses only refer to Walsall Council's pay & display car parks within the borough which are regulated by parking orders. A map of town centre car parks controlled by the council is available on the internet (see link below).
Walsall has two lorry parks for overnight stops, these are Beech Tree Rd Lorry Park, Walsall Wood and Wakes Ground Lorry Park, Walsall Road, Willenhall. Beech Tree Road is free of charge with no facilities. Wakes Ground is Willenhall town centre parking between the hours of 6pm and 8am - £6 for up to 12 hours, £12 for over 12 hours - with no toilet or waste disposal facilities.
Wakes Ground pay and display Lorry Park, Walsall Street, Willenhall has permitted overnight sleeping allowed from 6pm until 8am only. Beechtree Road Lorry Park, Walsall Wood has free parking 24/7 for lorries and large vehicles and permits sleeping overnight in the vehicle.
Walsall Council have further details on their web site Here.
Users of this web site have provided the following information:
Beech Tree Road, Walsall Wood
Beech Tree Road is no longer a lorry park and Walsall traffic officers patrol here. (Thanks to JS for providing this information on 25 February 2011).
Wolverhampton
On 12th September 2006 Wolverhampton City Council provided the following information:
Wolverhampton City Council has height barriers on all of its Council run car parks, Where we have a request to accommodate a motorhome we advise people to park on the Faulkland Street coach park which is suitable for motorhomes.
There are toilet provisions on the Faulkland Street coach park, no waste disposal facilities, and we do not advise people to park overnight on any of the Council run car parks.
Parking within bay confines would not be an issue on Faulkland Street.
On 4th April 2008, in response to a follow-up request, the Council provided the following information:
Motor home drivers are welcome to park at the Faulkland Street coach park off Littles Lane, Wolverhampton during the day. There are toilets and most days the snack bar is open to provide hot drinks and food. As this is a coach park use of multiple bays should not be a problem. There are no restrictions on height or weight. The public car park opposite which is alongside the coach park is manned from 7am until 11pm.
Wolverhampton City Council have further details on their web site Here.
On 13th March 2009, a request was sent to the Council asking if it was possible to park a motorhome at the P&R sites it provides. On 19th March 2009, the council replied:
Though the council does control three separate Park & Ride sites I regret that all have height barriers which would prevent use by vehicles over 2.0m high. As the sites are unmanned and some distance from the City Centre it would not be feasible for staff to open the barriers. Sorry that my response could not be more positive.
Return to Motorhome Friendly and Unfriendly Parking home page.
Last updated: 5 May 2011