Dartford Crossing users charged twice, according to AA

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By Joe Jeffrey

Glitches in new payment system to blame, says AA

A number of motorists using the Dartford Crossing between Kent and Essex are being charged twice due to a glitch with a payment system, the AA has said.

Despite being introduced back in November 2014 new payment system, Dart Charge, which replaced tollbooths on the Kent-side of the crossing, is still not without its teething problems according to some road users.

Motorist Clive Turrell tweeted: “Twice I’ve credited my account online without it appearing on my account. When you call, staff haven’t a clue.”

Edmund King, the president of the AA, said: “The new scheme has undoubtedly eased the congestion at busy times but, for some, there is a new concern regarding the behind-the-scenes bureaucracy that accompanies this supposedly high-tech, non-stop tolling.”

In response, a spokesman for Highways England said: “The vast majority of the 100,000 chargeable crossings at Dartford made each day are processed accurately and smoothly.

“Given the scale of transactions from time to time errors will be made for which we apologise unreservedly.”

Have you used the Dartford Crossing since implementation of the new payment system? If so, what has your experience been like?

Police Federation calls for cut to drink-driving limit

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By Joe Jeffrey

Lower drink-drive limit in England and Wales called for by police bidy, following change in Scotland last year

The Police Federation has called for a lower drink-driving limit in England and Wales to that of Scotland.

The Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, has requested to reduced the current limit of 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood to be reduced to 50mg.

Victoria Martin, a chief inspector working at the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) said ahead of the start of the annual PFEW conference today: “We would like to see road safety back on the national and local agenda.

Of the changes suggested, Martin went on to say implementing a lower limit for the rest of the UK would also bring England and Wales in line with other European countries and tackle the “worrying trend” of women drink-driving.

The suggestion comes following research conducted by Social Research Associates that showed nearly one in six women who responded to a survey conducted last year admitted to driving when they thought they were over the limit. Perhaps, equally as worrying, was that research showed many women were also unaware as to how much alcohol would put them over the threshold when it came to getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Of Social Research Asscoaites’ findings, Martin continued: “We’ve seen a steep decline in men drink-driving over the years, with targeted advertising campaigns, which is great, but women don’t seem to be getting the same message.

“It seems we have a worrying trend, with females still flouting the drink-drive limit, sometimes scarily unaware, putting themselves and others in danger as well as adding to the drain on police resources.”

As the debate continues, let us know what you think. Should we follow Scotland’s route or simply ban all alcohol together?

Baaaaa-rmy army of sheep to be unleashed in Bristol with help from Bailey

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By Joe Jeffrey

Shaun in the City initiative set to raise thousands for children’s charity

Following on from the success of Aardman Animation’s latest big screen adventure, Shaun the Sheep The Movie, a new initiative supported by Bailey of Bristol is set to raise thousands for a good cause.

Bristol-based caravan manufacturer, Bailey, will act as an official sponsor of the Shaun in the City Bristol art trail, which will see a flock of 70 giant Shaun the Sheep sculptures placed at various iconic locations across the city from 6 July to 31 August.

Similar to the ‘Gromit Unleashed’ trail staged in 2013, Shaun in the City hopes to attract huge numbers of fans and tourists to Bristol this summer to see the five-feet high Shaun the Sheep sculptures, each unique and created by a different artist, designer or famous face. They can all be found by picking up a free trail map from information points all over Bristol, downloading a map from the Shaun in the City website or downloading the official Shaun in the City: Sheep Spotter app, which also gives users access to special challenges and trophies.

The Bailey-sponsored Shaun the Sheep sculpture will be located by the stunning, 800-year-old St Mary Redcliffe Church, famous for its18th century ironwork and beautiful stained glass windows, which is just 10 minutes’ walk from Bristol Temple Meads railway station. The sculpture’s design is top secret and will not be revealed until July.

This intiative follows the Shaun in the City trail in London earlier this year which featured 50 sculptures. Shaun in the City is organised by the Wallace and Gromit’s Children’s Foundation, which will auction all the sculptures this autumn to raise money to support children in hospital across the UK. Funds raised from the auction of the Bristol sculptures will support The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity and proceeds from the sale of the London sculptures will benefit Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Charity, which supports children in hospitals all over the UK.

Aardman Animations’ Nick Park, commented: “It’s been a busy year for Shaun, he has just launched his first movie and now he has his very own arts trail! Shaun is such a well-loved character with so many fans around the globe, I am sure many will flock to Bristol to be part of the fun.”

Nick Howard, Managing Director of Bailey of Bristol added: “Like Bailey, Shaun the Sheep was created in Bristol, and in their own ways, have both provided quality family entertainment and achieved international success, so we’re very proud to be an official sponsor of Shaun in the City and are sure everyone will enjoy seeing more of our great city while having fun finding this unique flock of giant sheep.”

New ministerial team welcomed by National Caravan Council

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By Joe Jeffrey

New appointments all round following government reshuffle

The The National Caravan Council (NCC) has welcomed the appointment of the new ministerial teams at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; Business and Communities and Local Government.

Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that John Whittingdale is to serve as Secretary of State and Tracey Crouch as Minister for Tourism at the Department. Elsewhere, Sajid Javid is the new Business Secretary and Greg Clark the new Communities Secretary.

Alicia Dunne, Deputy Director General said: “I very much welcome Mr Whittingdale’s appointment as the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Ms Crouch’s promotion to Tourism Minister.

“The NCC is very encouraged by the fact that both Ministers have a strong understanding of the tourism industry having both served on the culture select committee during the last Parliament. Indeed, as Chair of the committee Mr Whittingdale called for more recognition of and a stronger voice for the tourism sector and I am sure both Ministers will work hard to promote and develop our sector.

“We will work alongside the Government and our industry partners to ensure the Conservative administration delivers on its manifesto commitment to support tourism across our country.”

Ms Dunne added: “The NCC also looks forward to working with the new Business and Communities Ministerial teams, giving our members a voice at the heart of Westminster.”

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Wayne Rooney buys a caravan in North Wales

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By Joe Jeffrey

Manchester United striker buys caravan on North Wales holiday park

Manchester United and England national team striker Wayne Rooney has purchased a caravan at a North Wales holiday park, it has emerged.

Rooney and wife Coleen, both 29, snapped up the £25,000 caravan last year, and Coleen, along with children Kai, five, and Klay, one, is said to have been a frequent visitor to Presthaven Beach Resort in North Wales since, according to the Daily Mirror.

Presthaven Beach Resort, idyllically located on the Irish Sea, near the coastal resort of Rhyl, provides various amenities including an outdoor lazy river and indoor pool, whilst being sandwiched in-between countryside with an abundance of nature and a sandy flat beach – ideal for the kids and Coleen to enjoy.

It is not the first time Rooney’s wife has been spotted at a UK holiday park, with photos taken of her and her children appearing on her Facebook page recently, whilst enjoying a holiday at Butlins in Skegness, where they watched former Britain’s Got Talent winners, Diversity, perform.

Coleen said afterwards: “I grew up going to holiday camps, so it was no change for me.”

Despite travelling abroad a whopping eight times in 2014, it makes a refreshing change to see the Rooney family making the most of what the UK and its great network of holiday parks has to offer.

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Team Bailey Racing renew sponsorship deal

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By Claire Lawson

Bailey renew deal for 2015 motorsport season

The sponsorship deal for Team Bailey Racing has been renewed for the upcoming 2015 motorsport season with a brand new support vehicle.

The team, which competes in classic Minis in the Masters Historic Racing series and the Mighty Mini Championships, will this year be enjoying the comforts of the Bailey Unicorn Cordoba as their base and support vehicle for the racing events.

The new Bailey will travel with the team across the UK and into Europe where they will compete in Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Towed by a Kia Sorrento in matching livery, the drivers will certainly be travelling everywhere in style.

The team’s manager, John Lewis, thanked Bailey for their on-going support, saying: “A caravan is a vital support vehicle for us as it means we have everything we need on hand while we’re based at a race venue, and our new Bailey Unicorn not only provides every comfort we could wish for, but also looks stunning and professional.”

“I’m really excited for the season ahead, and extremely grateful to Bailey and all our sponsors for their support,” he continued.

Nick Howard, Managing Director of Bailey of Bristol stated, “Leisure vehicles provide the freedom to go and enjoy life, so Bailey is always particularly keen to support active sports and hobbies, and really proud to be sponsoring the Team Bailey Racing motorsport team for 2015.”

Hopefully with a comfortable and relaxing place to stay, the drivers of Team Bailey Racing will do well in all their upcoming events.

Caravan Park receives prestigious award

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By Claire Lawson

Northumberland site is awarded tourism honour

Seafield Caravan Park has been given a bronze award for their efforts and help with raising tourism in the Northumberland area.

The site, along with St Cuthbert’s B&B, Matfen Hall and Kielder Winter Wonderland, was given the ‘Visit England Award for Excellence’.

General manager, Jude Leitch, said “We are so proud to see these four businesses recognised on a national level for the fantastic work they do for tourism in Northumberland. They are a wonderful asset to our county and long may it continue.”

Chief executive of Visit England, James Berreford, stated “It is a tremendous achievement for Matfen Hall, Kielder Winter Wonderland, St Cuthbert’s House, and Seafield Caravan Park. They have raised the bar for excellence for others to aspire to and I warmly congratulate them on their exemplary contribution to tourism in this country.”

It is great to see caravan sites getting recognised for their contributions to their counties and the country.

Have you won tickets to The Big Outdoor Show 2015?

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by Joe Jeffrey

Read on to find out if you’ll be heading to The Big Outdoor Show 2015 courtesy of CaravanTimes

A few weeks ago, we ran a competition giving you the chance to win a family ticket to The Big Outdoor Show 2015, guaranteed to provide you and the family with oodles of entertainment and lead you down the right path as you plan setting off on your adventures with your leisure vehicle.

The prize, consisting of a family camping weekend pass (two adults & two children) to The Big Outdoor Show, worth £149.50, as well as tickets to see Sir Ranulph Fiennes speak on Monday 25 May worth a further £118, certainly proved popular amongst members to the site, but unfortunately there was only one winner. And we’re pleased to announce the winner is:

Jon Freeman

Congratulations, Jon. We’ll be in touch soon with more information.

Don’t despair if you didn’t win this time around. Tickets to the show, taking place between 23 to 25 May 2015 are available to purchase here now.

Coachman employees exchange caravans for cycles in charity challenge

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by Alice Scarsi

Mike and Shane will cycle from Liverpool to Hull for a good reason

Employees from Coachman Caravans will be downing tools and hitting the road later this month to take part in a 154-mile sponsored cycle to raise funds and awareness for a local charity.

Mike Smith and Shane Farrah, who work on the firm’s production line, will be cycling from Liverpool to Hull, where the leading caravan manufacturer is based, on 23-24 May in aid of Abbie’s Fund, a local aid organisation which provides moral support to parents who have lost their babies at the maternity unit at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, providing them with memory boxes.

The sponsored cycle for such a worthwhile cause touches directly with the Coachman team, with the challenge being organised by Mike’s nephew, Martin – someone who is well aware of the importance of the psychological support needed by parents at such a difficult time. Martin’s daughter, Darcie-Mae, was born sleeping on 7 November 2014.

The cycle will commence on Saturday 23 May at Anfield football stadium, home to Liverpool FC, and is planned to finish at the KC Stadium on Sunday 24, just before Hull City’s last match of the season kicks off.

The duo will be supported on the road by fellow employee Kev Smith, who will drive a van provided by Coachman.

Mike spoke of the charity cycle, saying: “In the UK, 17 babies are stillborn or die soon after birth every day and it’s a devastating and life-changing event for the families concerned.

“For Paul and Katy Cowell, who set up Abbie’s Fund in memory of their daughter, the terrible experience was made a little easier by the care and support from the midwifery staff at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, which is why they wanted to give something back,” he continued.

So far, the team has raised around £1,500, but is looking to increase this amount, as Mike adds: “Supporting Martin with this event is a fantastic way to help make a difference to other families who tragically lose a baby to stillbirth or neonatal death. We are encouraging people to sponsor us and help out this incredibly worthy cause.”

We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.

To sponsor Mike and Shane, visit the Abbie’s Fund website here and click on the ‘Donate now’ link.

BBC to tour UK with Airstream-inspired Listening Project caravan

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by Joe Jeffrey

Listening booth will record conversations of UK public as it tours length and breadth of UK

The BBC has taken the wraps off a new mobile recording studio, inspired by the iconic Airstream caravan.

Designed by London-based JaK Studio, the portable booth was commissioned as part of BBC Radio 4‘s the Listening Project after a Royal Institute of British Architects-run international competition.

Styled in the shape of a speech bubble, the travelling studio will travel across the UK recording conversations with people across the country, which will then be broadcast on the BBC.

Design features incorporated include a polycarbonate skin with lights at the rear that will react in time to conversations happening within the booth.

RIBA president Stephen Hodder said: ”The Listening Project Booth is a brilliantly witty project and a great piece of product design. It was the unanimous choice of our competition judges and I’m sure will inspire those who see it on the road and share their stories within it.”

Jacob Low, partner at JaK Studio added: ”To be selected to design an environment for such a unique and special project has been a privilege and a pleasure. Beyond the practicalities, we wanted to create a booth that celebrated the power and intimacy of conversation. From the reactive light sculpture that visually captures the dynamics of speech to the home-from-home touches that make the interior space a cosy cabin in which to retreat.

”For the ensuing months that the speech bubble booth will be on the road, it will be the definitive place for people to share with us the story of their lives, and we’re thrilled that they will be doing so in an environment that represents so many heartfelt moments of our own.”

The BBC seem to have taken a liking to all things Airstream as late – let’s just hope that, when touring across the country, they don’t travel with passengers in the back.

To check out a video highlighting what to expect, see below.

VIDEO: Motorhome overturns due to tyre blow out

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by Justine Iorga
Motorhome in Louisiana overturns on a motorway and it’s all caught on a dash cam
Recent dash cam footage released has us cringing as a motorhome heading down a motorway overturns due to a tyre blowout in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.
Louisiana State Police troopers were called on Monday to the scene of the accident. Crash scene investigators said the motorhome was heading westbound on Interstate 10 in the left lane when one of the tyres blew out causing the motorhome to veer into the median, striking the cable barriers. The vehicle then proceeded to tip over and slide across both eastbound lanes.

The driver, 69-year-old Royce Denmon, of Kilgore, Texas, and his passenger sustained only minor injuries in the crash, but it definitely seems like it could have been a lot worse had there been more traffic or passengers in the motorhome.

The whole crash was caught on the dash cam of the witness, 30-year-old Jonathan Mendel of Metairie, who was driving a lorry headed in the same direction as Denmon. He was able to pull his rig vehicle onto the shoulder of the road and call 911.
While we’re glad to hear that the driver and passenger are doing fine after the crash, we can’t help but think that Denmon was driving a bit carelessly. By the looks of the video he seemed to be going pretty fast, a lot faster then he should have been going especially with the size of the motorhome.
Be sure to check out the video for yourself below.

Caravan and camping parks urged to provide shelter for homeless

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By Claire Lawson

Lincolnshire based organisation asks for caravan and camping parks to provide accommodation to the homeless

Following on from a cut in funding to help the homeless, and with many hostels across the country becoming full to capacity, homeless support group, East Coast Homeless Outreach UK (ECHO), has called for caravan and camping parks to provide accommodation for homeless people.

The idea to provide the homeless with somewhere to stay at caravan and camping parks comes from ECHO founder, Paul Jackson, following offering his spare tent to homeless people last year.

After placing an advert for a spare caravan and then being donated one by a Grimsby firm, the charity is now approaching various sites by telephone, asking if people can stay following a recent successful pilot at West End Farm in Weston-super-Mare.

Owner of West End Farm, Chris Clarges, who invited a homeless man to stay at his site, spoke of the benefits of inviting those with no fixed abode to stay, saying: “We had a young man with mild learning difficulties come and stay with us for two to three weeks. He gave me a hand with work shovelling gravel and so we reduced the cost of him being here, it was great all round. We didn’t mind him helping out,” he said.

“We are a family run site and it is something we would do out of season. We would also have to be selective of who we take on, we have to think of the people who are paying first,” Clarges went on.

With caravan season in full swing and an increase in bookings at many parks, it may become more and more difficult for ECHO to find accommodation as campsites enter into their busy seasons, but they are set to persevere.