Cobh looks to clamp down on campervans overstaying welcome

NEW measures are to be introduced to clamp down on holidaymakers overstaying their welcome in Cobh.

Cobh Municipal District Council has decided to introduce new bylaws that will prohibit campervans ‘hogging’ camping spaces.

The local authority has revealed that many campers have been staying longer than the maximum 48-hour limit due to a lack of enforcement.

This had led to spaces being occupied for days at a time, causing other tourists to seek vacancies elsewhere, which it says is detrimental to the town’s tourist trade.

Tourists are required to pay a €10 charge for the use of a camping spot for 24 hours along the ‘Five Foot Way’, situated on the edge of Cork Harbour. However, without a means for parking wardens to check when the vehicle arrived, there has not yet been a way to discourage campers remaining on the site for a long period of time.

The senior executive officer for the Cobh Municipal District, Páraig Lynch, has told local councillors that it is hoped the new draft bylaws will produce a greater turnover of tourists in the area.

The new laws, which are to be published before the end of the month, will see vehicle owners required to present a ticket with the time stamp of their arrival. This will allow traffic wardens to ensure these campers are not exceeding the allowed time.

At present, many holidaymakers are believed to leave their space after the allocated 48 hours but return to the same space following a brief drive around the block when wardens are present, according to Mr Lynch.

“Trouble is they leave, go around the corner and come back minutes later,” he said.

The new proposed bylaws would see these campers be prohibited to returning to the same space for 72 hours after the 48-hour slot. Following their publishing at the end of April, the regulations will be put forward for public consultation for a six-week period before councillors will decide.