Living in a camper on the public street.Is it legal?

[vanman1]

OK following various financial problems me and my other half have taken to living in a camper on a public street. The van's not really pretty, but it's taxed, MOT'd and insured. The street in question is in fact on a trading estate so there's no domestic neighbours.Since living here I found out that, although it's got full public access (it's a through road with room to park on both sides of the 2 way road) it's actually a private road. There are no street lights and most of the road is taken up by an empty lot. I can have a fair guess at who is responsible for the road, but as loads of people park and apparently go to work on the trading estate and trucks park over night there, From time to time there is even at least 3 people who sleep in their cars too. it doesn't seem to be a problem to stay here. What are the legalities of it though? We are not looking on this as permanent, but we are not having any luck in finding a private space for the camper. We would be happy to carry on living in it if we could get this.

[hc4361]

Firstly you are trespassing on private land and could be asked to leave at any time.

As for the public highway, don't stay in one spot for too long and don't let the driver drink alcohol at all. If he is asked to move on by the police and he's been drinking, he'll be in big bother.

[vanman1]

I very much doubt we would be trespassing, During the day cars are parked by people working at companies on the surrounding estate. At night trucks park up for their legally required break, often over the week end.The road is L shaped linking two main roads, and part of it is used by buses going to a small terminus.The only real difference between this and a fully public roads is that there are no street lights or road markings. I believe officially it's an unadopted road with full public access.

As for the drinking, I am aware of the 'Drunk in Charge' offence and neither of us have had a drink in months.

[buildersmate]

I doubt very much that it is an unadopted road - no owner of land that comprises a trading estate would be daft enough to allow public access for long enough (20+ years) for this to happen under common law.
You will perhaps get away with it for a time until someone realises.
If you stay more than 28 days in the same place the local planning authority may also start getting interested as well since one would need temporary (at a minimum) planning consent - which of course one wouldn't ever get.

[dave50]

You are gipsies then?

[hannah40]

my brother lived in a camper van once when he became homeless he used to move his van around so nobody got to know him.he used to park in lorry car patks as well ,i remeber it was only a temporary thing but he never got moved on.