Cairngorms’ most popular beauty spot sees big U-turn on controversial car parking charges
Highland Council has diluted its plans for highly controversial parking restrictions and charges at the Cairngorms National Park’s most popular beauty spot.
However, the local authority still intends to proceed with introducing Pay and Display parking fees in and around Loch Morlich and Glenmore.
But the costs of the parking tickets have been lowered from the charges originally proposed and a new bottom rate three hours stay for £3 introduced rather than the previously proposed one hour of parking for £2.
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One of the biggest climbdowns is an end to a proposed ban on overnight parking at the new pay and display bays which, if approved, will cover much of the Glenmore stretch of the ski road with the rest being no waiting zones.
It came in for heavy criticisms from climbers, hill walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
There are also plans for a discounted parking permit for residents of Badenoch and Strathspey.
The initial public consultation on the parking plans revealed a year ago had provoked a huge backlash with 83 objections eventually being lodged.
The revised proposals have been watered down and are revealed in papers going to Highland Council’s Badenoch and Strathspey area committee latest meeting on Monday at the Courthouse in Kingussie.
Local councillors are being asked to approved the arrangements.
Shane Manning, the local authority’s principal traffic officer, said the restrictions have been ‘altered and reduced in severity’ from the original proposals.
He states in his report to go to councillors: “Due to increased demand by visitors to the C1126 lochside area of Glenmore, officers were asked to introduce traffic management provisions to tackle inappropriate parking and measures for managed parking on the roadside.”
The big changes made by the council following the public outcry include:
• scrapping the ban on overnight parking in Pay and Display bays.
• Longer parking periods in the Pay and Display bays.
• A discounted local permit for strath residents with two options available - a pass for £40 per year or £11 per month.
• The Pay and Display restrictions will only be in operation from 1 March to 31 October and not year round.
The proposed charges now for the parking bays on the C1126 Glenmore Road between the Reindeer Centre junction and the Hayfield car park will be three hour (£3); six hours (£4) and 24 hours (£5).
The original parking charges were for a 12 hours maximum stay from 7am to 10pm and parking charges for one hour (£2); six hours (£4) and 12 hours (£5).
Council officers have also said they will be co-ordinating charges with neighbouring landowner Forestry Land and Scotland to ‘ensure consistency’.
The local authority said it will continue to work with local landowners to identify opportunities to provide parking in locations deemed appropriate.
Mr Manning confirmed: “We will be providing officers on the ground to manage and enforce any restrictions between March and October.”
The initial raft of proposals were advertised in August last year and provoked a storm.
The Strathy revealed the extent of the resentment after an FoI with objectors describing the proposals variously as ‘impossible to police’, ‘ill thought-out’, ‘discriminatory’, a ‘money-making scheme for the council’ and there were even claims they could even endanger lives.
Amongst those in opposition were Mountaineering Scotland, the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, the University of Edinburgh, Nethy Bridge Community Council and members of the Cairngorm Runners
In total the council received 88 representations of which 83 were objections.
They covered 169 individual grounds of objection with the most vociferous being on prohibiting overnight stays and Pay and Display.
The Glenmore area receives over a million visitors each year with the majority of people arriving by car.
As for where the collected funds go, a Highland Council spokeswoman said: “All new off street Pay and Display locations sees 50 per cent of the nett income given to local committees to spend in the wards that collected the income.
“In the case of all on street income, this is applied to the parking services budget to support the service and any excess is assigned as Highland Council income.”
