Caithness committee to decide on voluntary parking charge scheme for motorhomes and cars at sites in far north
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Voluntary parking charges could be introduced at a number of popular car parks in Caithness.
Members of Highland Council's Caithness committee will today decide whether to approve the "invitation to pay" scheme for seven sites.
The proposals form part of the council’s £1.5 million visitor management strategy to deal with the influx of tourists visiting the Highlands since the start of the pandemic.
Under the scheme, cars and motorhomes would be asked to pay between 8am and 8pm, with the rates set at £1 for up to two hours, £2 or up to four hours, £3 for up to 12 hours and for a maximum stay of up to 24 hours the cost would be £5.
Motorhome users would be charged the same except they would be invited to pay £10 for a 24-hour stay – with the added condition that all activities must remain within the vehicle – so no canopies or awnings would be allowed to be set up.
The sites earmarked for the invitation to pay scheme are at Dunnet Head, Dunnet Seadrift, Noss Head, Duncansby Head, Reiss Beach, and The Camps and Riverside in Wick.
But the proposals could prompt opposition after a similar plan in Nairn triggered a backlash after locals and councillors feared it would introduce parking charges by stealth.
That is based on consideration of who would volunteer to pay for parking if there was no enforcement.
A poll by the Inverness Courier – the Caithness Courier’s sister paper – indicated that only 15 per cent of respondents would be likely to pay.
According to the council’s principal traffic officer Shane Manning, any money would be directed solely at investing in infrastructure and services.
He said it is a bid "to improve the visitor experience, and to address some of the issues arising from overcrowding in popular hotspots, including insufficient parking areas, bad/inconsiderate parking and consequential damage to roadside verges.
“£250,000 from the visitor management fund was allocated for improvements to parking management comprising installing charging at tourist dominated sites, improved signage, lining, minor repairs and increasing staff resources.
“A cross-service working group was subsequently convened to produce a visitor management plan to implement the strategy, which was approved by the tourism committee on April 21.
“This included the rollout of Invitation to Pay (ITP) at agreed council off-street car parks subject to local member approval.”
The report going to the Caithness committee today sets out provisional locations where “improvements” to parking would be beneficial and members will be asked to agree to implement the proposed invitation to pay schemes and site management.
