Marina Baixa 23rd March Issue 37
IN LIMBO FOR FREE CAMPERS Motorhome owners familiar with using an Albir car park for free overnight stays, will have to look elsewhere in future after height restriction barriers and a wall were erected across the entrance. The large, hidden car park off Avenida de Albir, behind the Consum supermarket, is quiet and hardly used by vehicles. However, in recent months, as many as 50 motorhomes and RV’s, with number plates registered in countries such as Holland, Norway, Germany, Belgium, UK and Spain
have congregated on the open space often staying for several days at a time. The large luxurious vehicles with values of many thousands of euros, occasionally attracted the attention of local police patrols, who moved them on, but invariably the motorhomes returned quickly, often on the same day. Unconfirmed sources suggest local official campsites, which have strict regulations and provide sanitation facilities included in their overnight fees have complained to local authorities about the ‘free campers’
Local residents and visitors have also expressed their concerns, feeling that these motorhome owners expect to use the facilities of Albir without contributing to the local economy. As the debate raged on amongst the community, the height restriction barriers were put into place last week, putting a stop to most of the vehicles. However, some of the owners, determined not to be thwarted in their quest have since congregated at the newly created entrance, squeezed together tightly, so that they can maintain their free stay in Albir.