YOUR VIEWS: Highland tourist tax, Academy Street in Inverness and A82 road conditions
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Readers react to a range of issues that have been in the news.
What do wider public get from tourist tax?
Nicky Marr makes a valid point about ‘tourist tax’ in her article (Courier, 25/8/23) when she points out that visitors use the infrastructure and facilities that locals pay for, but it’s a double-edged sword.
We all pay some form of council tax where we live whether at home or away; it doesn’t stop while we’re temporarily away from home.
If visitors live in a tourist hotspot themselves, they may benefit from their own tourist tax – if they have one – looking after their home area, and we would benefit from that in return were we to visit there.
But if they don’t live in such a place, then they are being asked to pay local taxes twice with no reciprocation.
That in itself is not a reason to object to the tax, as people come to tourist areas expecting them to be well-kept and may be willing to pay extra for that.
But it’s another argument to add to the mix.
Stephanie Bruntlett
Tornagrain
Time to look at conditions on the A82
The A9 is constantly in the press, and rightly.
It is a dangerous road, the main link to the north, the Scottish Government are less than 20 per cent of their way to delivering on the pledge to dual it and have no timetable to progress it.
The Inverness Courier has done a fantastic job in raising the awareness in such a way that politically the Scottish Government has no alternative except to deliver on its dualling and that of the A96 too.
The other arterial route to the north is of course the A82 to Inverness from Glasgow.
I am certain that the A82 is every bit as dangerous and frightening as the A9.
Along Loch Lomond on a recent wet Sunday afternoon I saw buses inching past buses, a lorry driver reversing to allow another to pass towards a packed tailback with tourists persuading other drivers to reverse, and cars terrifyingly overtaking foolish cyclists with inches to spare.
Imagine if you were a visitor from Canada coming to visit “the old country”, you landed in Glasgow, rented your campervan and headed north to see where your ancestors lived.
A nervous wreck, your poor opinion of the Highlands would be informed before you parked up for the night, and that is even before you became aware of the lack of public toilets or waste disposal facilities for travellers.
Tourism is the lifeblood of the Highland and Islands, as an industry we do not have the infrastructure to support it.
Travel anywhere in the Alps and see how good it can be.
I have now written to three Scottish transport ministers in the last year calling for a West Highland Transport Summit in Fort William.
On the agenda will be the A82, Calmac Ferries of course, the Corran crossing which desperately needs a fixed link, rubbish along our trunk roads, and congestion in Fort William.
Let us hope that Fiona Hyslop has the courtesy to reply.
Councillor Angus MacDonald (Fort William and Ardnamurchan)
Liberal Democrat candidate for Westminster
Academy Street decision still up in the air
Members of Highland Council’s city of Inverness area committee this week voted 12-10 in favour of progressing controversial plans to limit traffic movements on Academy Street in the city centre. The matter was later referred on to the full council to consider, as officials also said no action would be taken either until a full economic impact assessment of the proposals is carried out. A bid to have the proposals put to a public vote was defeated.
“Are the local council actually living in the real world? It is clear that they are not. This will be a complete disaster not only for local businesses but also to the general public requiring to get in to the city centre. It will end up being the same fiasco as the traffic changes they made to Castle Street which eventually had to be put back to normal. It just beggars belief what an inept local council we have who refuse to listen to public opinion.” – Sharon Milsum, Inverness
“I used to be a visitor but now live here. I find Academy Street rather depressing. Traffic is heavy, lights not set to prioritise pedestrians and the front of the train station is not very inviting. Just don’t understand why so much traffic passes through. I think businesses would ultimately benefit.” – Linda Smith, Dingwall
“It is ludicrous for the Greens to crow about this. The plan was pushed forward by Greens, SNP and two independents and opposed by Lib Dems, Labour, Conservatives and Independent. Councillor Ryan MacKintosh is talking nonsense to claim this would reduce pollution (and in any case 38 per cent of 26 per cent is less than 10 per cent of emissions) as the 75 per cent of cars displaced would have to follow longer routes and would use MORE fuel. This weird scheme is basically green anti-car nonsense and would fail to bring benefits to many while inconveniencing many. For example, residents to the west of the river would have an extended journey to reach the railway station. Carers criss-cross Inverness between clients. They are scarce enough as it is, but would get less done through losing more time from having to travel the longer alternative routes.” – Donald Mackenzie, Inverness
“An elected council that is pretty much shambolic in each area and acting on personal views. It should be put out for public consultation. Firstly spend money on roads, not just around Inverness. If Academy Street is still up for debate then spend money on all the building façades as over half are an eyesore with ugly paintwork and weeds in gutters. It’s like putting new soles on your shoes when the upper leather is falling apart. Go prioritise!” – Iain Maclean, Inverness
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