Three coastal locations in North Yorkshire are set to trial a restriction on overnight motorhome parking in response to complaints from residents and safety fears. 

North Yorkshire Council says there has been a significant numbers of motorhomes in "hotspot locations" in recent years.

They added that complaints to authorities are escalating and there have been a number of fires.

Now, they are proposing a trial restriction of up to 18 months at three locations between 11pm to 7am where the issues are most prevalent.

The restrictions would be introduced on the A174 Sandsend to Raithwaite, three miles north of Whitby, and on Royal Albert Drive on Scarborough’s North Bay. 

The third location is Osgodby Hill and Filey Road in Cayton Bay, three miles south of Scarborough. 

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: "We know how important the tourist economy is to the Yorkshire coast and motorhomes are as welcome to park on the seafront as any other vehicle during the day. 

"However, extended stays, which usually include significant numbers of motorhomes parking overnight, are causing issues for nearby residents and are posing a serious safety hazard.

"We carried out a survey earlier this year to monitor the number of motorhomes and caravans and the length of stays. This indicated that we do need to take action given the scale of overnight parking in these hotspot locations.

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"We have also factored in the increasing level of complaints to the council, police and fire service.

"We believe a trial restriction between certain hours is the next step to tackle these issues and, if introduced, the public will be able to share their views before a decision is made on whether to make it permanent."

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said that caravans should be parked six metres apart to prevent the spread of fire. 

The service has received complaints and attended incidents of fires at the locations where a trial restriction is proposed. The risk of injury is also higher on a night when the owners are likely to be sleeping.

The council say they acknowledge that the temporary measure could lead to motorhome owners parking on other unrestricted streets. Therefore, if the trial is approved, other locations will be considered in future depending on its impact.

A decision on the trial will be made at a meeting on Friday next week (August 9).

The public would be able to share their comments for the first six months of the trial, and a decision on whether to make the scheme permanent would need to be made within 18 months of the measures starting.