Heart 200 blamed for rural litter problems
The council’s ruling party should have foreseen a recent reported rise in roadside littering and inconsiderate parking in rural areas across Perthshire, a Strathtay councillor has claimed.
SNP councillor Grant Laing believes PKC’s Scottish Conservative administration contributed to the current problem by agreeing to fund the promotion of the Heart 200 tourist route last year.
Councillor Laing reckons his rivals ought to have realised local roads and facilities would be overwhelmed by a surge in the number of sightseers and should have spent more money upgrading the route before interest in it spiked.
However, his remarks were dismissed yesterday by two local Conservatives who both accused him of trying to whip up controversy purely for political gain.
Councillor Laing told the PA: “I am afraid that the Tory administration at PKC must take a large portion of the blame for the problems occurring in various rural areas with littering, inconsiderate parking and other anti-social behaviour.
“They gave £50,000 of taxpayers money to a private firm to promote the Heart 200 route but failed to invest a single penny in upgrading or providing any further infrastructure or facilities along the route.
“Although the consequences of their initial action and subsequent total inaction has been pointed out to them on several occasions, there is still no acknowledgement of the problems that they are causing in rural Perthshire. They do not wish to spend anything on remedying this totally foreseeable situation.”
But Carse of Gowrie councillor Angus Forbes responded: “Councillor Laing must be the only person in the entire country who has not quite grasped that the whole of Scotland is being affected by an increase in cars, campervans and dirty camping as more people decide to holiday close to home. His lack of awareness of this issue, which would be happening regardless of Heart 200, is quite incredible.
“Heart 200 is a good example of the public and private sector working together to encourage economic development in our area. Councillor Laing should welcome this rather than snipe from the sidelines and try to push the economic benefit to other parts of Scotland.
“This venture has also been funded by the Scottish Government via Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland yet Councillor Laing only criticised the Conservative administration which leads me to believe his comments are purely political.
“For the leader of the opposition not to either understand or welcome economic development such as this is very worrying.”
And Highland ward councillor John Duff added: “This is a pitiful attempt by the SNP group leader to blame the Conservative administration for a national problem which has much to do with the SNP’s own Land Reform Act. Councillor Laing knows that and should join us in urging the Scottish Government to rectify the problems it is causing.
“I also believe that his comments have absolutely nothing to do with Heart 200 and everything to do with the forthcoming Scottish parliamentary elections.
“It is an indication that the SNP group leader and his party are worried about their chances in this area - with just cause.”