Caravan, camper and motorhome owners took their mobile homes to the streets on Sunday car(avan)cading to Luqa in protest at new rules that force owners to apply and pay for permits to park next to the coast.

Over 20 motorhomes met on  the coast road, taking the long way to Luqa to show their joint voice and effort against the new regulations.

“As an association, we absolutely do not agree with the legal notice,” Malta Camping and Caravans Association president David Aquilina told a crowd of protestors.

Speaking in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Aquilina and others came together to speak out against new caravan rules that came into force earlier this month.

The new regulations see caravaners and their cohort park in designated areas with utility services against a fee of €10 per day. To do so, they must apply for renewable permits which cover a maximum period of seven days.

Non-designated areas will have no utility services and caravan owners can apply for renewable three-day permits for €5 a day.

Two designated sites so far are at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq and Qortin it-Twil in Mellieħa. Another two sites have also been identified.

David Aquilina speaking to protesters. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Yet, walking around the designated Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq site, activist Raymond Ambrogio pointed around the desolate plot of land littered with tissues, broken tiles and sharp rocks. Spread across the sandy dirt are 12 cinderblocks with numbers spray painted on them, marking the different plots for each caravan and mobile home.

“Instead of printing the stall numbers on the asphalt, they put cinderblocks on the dust,” Ambrogio said, claiming that everything, including the legal notice itself, was rushed and done “at the drop of a pin”.

The plot of land in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq designated for caravan owners. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

“I think that the government has money for asphalt and structures such as showers, toilets and electricity,” he said, remarking that the government is able to spare millions for film events but not for its population.

Not only is the site itself in a state of disarray, but the protestors were not happy with the location that they were given.

On the beach behind the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq site, signs notified readers that swimming was not permitted in the area.

“Look at where they threw us, in a spot where we can’t even swim,” caravaner Francois Attard said, pointing towards the sign.

“We had no choice when it came to the areas that were given to us,” Aquilina said.

A sign near the designated caravan site telling readers that they cannot swim in the area. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

“It's scary and disappointing how the local council treats caravaners like animals. We are law-abiding citizens,” he said, noting that no discussions were held regarding what spots would be designated for their homely vehicles.

Aquilina pleaded with the crowd to remain civil and to stay on the same page because, if one domino fell out of line then, in the public view, all of them would have fallen.

“Stay civil,” Ambrigio added. “Let’s take this step by step,” he said, telling the crowd that a civil path is one that will work.

Following cheers and applause, protestors got in their cars and mobile homes and drove from Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq to Luqa.