Calls for campervan trial

Wednesday 23 June 2021

Jersey is launching a pilot scheme allowing people to sleep in their campervans and motorhomes overnight at designated sites, with a Guernsey couple pushing for similar changes that would "make the most of our lovely island".

Current laws prohibit any ‘human habitation’ inside a motorhome or campervan in Guernsey unless at an approved campsite, and even then, the time you can stay there is curtailed to one month.

The official campsites that are registered with the States of Guernsey are Beaucette Marina, Les Fauxquets Valley, La Bailloterie and Le Vaugrat.

The new scheme in our sister Channel Island will allow people who own campervans to pay an annual fee to park overnight at various designated sites in the island, as an alternative to booking in at a campsite.

Pictured: One end of St Ouen in Jersey has been used as an official campsite in the past.

Express spoke to one couple who find little support for people who want to use their vehicles in Guernsey.

“Unless you’re prepared to stay in a campsite, there’s no real support for it,” said Martin Wilson. 

“There’s no reason it [a pilot scheme] couldn't work over here. It may be a small island, but there are some spots around the island where you could have a set number of allocated places for motorhomes.

“We should be making the best of our lovely island,” he added.

Pictured: "There would be a cost, for registration and policing, much like in Jersey," said Mr Wilson.

Mr Wilson and his wife, Tracy-Anne, bought their VW campervan in 2019, with the intention of travelling. Then covid came and put the lid on their plans, and Mrs Wilson said it’s a shame they haven’t been able to make the most of it here.

“There have been a few times when we’ve been out and parked up in the van for a cup of tea and a swim, we always think that it would be so wonderful if we could stay there, cook dinner, sleep, and wake up to the sunrise,” she said.

The initiative in Jersey will only be accessible to people with vehicles registered in the island, a fact which Mrs Wilson says is important. 

“Making it just for islanders would be something very important, just like Jersey. You’d stop people simply travelling over to the island and camping wherever they want.”

Pictured: Mr and Mrs Wilson managed to get away for eight weeks last year, in their VW van called 'Han'.

The proposals were brought forward after an unofficial campsite by St Ouen’s Bay was closed down by Jersey's Government. It should be launched in July, with potential sites yet to be announced. 

Mr Wilson said a similar pilot scheme could prove to be successful here and is worth testing out. 

“I think it’s a fantastic idea, that if you can’t get away there’s somewhere for you to go.

“There’d be rules to follow, and you wouldn’t have to do very much except make sure you left the spot as you found it. I think most people are responsible enough that it would be self-policed,” he said.

A pilot scheme would allow camping all year round, whereas currently, all Guernsey campsites close before the winter season, and re-open just before the summer.