Camper Van Tourists Blamed for NC500 Fly-Tipping Now Face Overnight Car Park Ban
A popular tourist route in the Scottish Highlands may soon see a significant change. Locals are demanding an overnight ban on camper vans in council car parks.
The North Coast 500 (NC500), touted as ‘Scotland’s Route 66’, was launched a decade ago to boost visitor numbers to less-traveled areas. However, for many residents, the popularity of the route has become more of a burden than a benefit.
Frustrated residents along the NC500 are now calling for the ban to address issues like fly-tipping and antisocial behavior. The Sutherland county committee of Highland Council is set to discuss this proposal.
The concerns stem from complaints by residents in Durness and Golspie, who claim their villages have become dumping grounds for tourists. They claim a scheme intended to curb indiscriminate parking by encouraging campers to use council car parks has led to a surge in motorhomes.
‘The community councils in certain areas along the NC500 are very unhappy about the way Highland Council have dumped these mobile homes in their villages through this overnight scheme,’ said Sutherland councillor Hugh Morrison.
Councillors Richard Gale and Jim McGillivray have put forward a motion stating that the Sutherland Area Committee agrees to impose a ban on all overnight camper van and motorhome parking in council car parks. This is based on the impact of overnight parking by motorhomes, which has led to inappropriate waste disposal and other antisocial behaviors.
Officials, however, warn that the ban might backfire. A report suggests that displaced motorhomes might opt for laybys or wild camping rather than designated sites. If enacted, this could prove counterproductive.
