Here come the rangers

Bank holiday crowds being kept in check by‘responsible tourism’team

Scorching weather over the bank holiday weekend created a draw for thousands of people to head out of town for woods, lochs and hills in Perthshire.

The busy weekend saw heavy traffic on the A9 going north from Perth and coincided with the first deployment of Perth and Kinross Council’s new visitor rangers.

Seven visitor rangers have been hired by the council to drive in specially marked vans around the Big County to promote responsible tourism and help prevent ‘dirty camping’.

They started their duties on Friday. The bank holiday rush for rural beauty spots by thousands of eager visitors meant it was a busy weekend across the region.

Perth and Kinross Council sent out messages on social media on Saturday evening to try and inform people heading for the Foss Road at Loch Tummel that there was no more room and cars were being turned away.

Foss Road residents reported trouble with new arrivals late into the night after the rangers’ shift had came to an end.

Perth and Kinross Council is investing up to £250,000 in the visitor ranger scheme as part of a package of measures “to ensure visitors enjoy wild places in Perth and Kinross but leave them unspoiled”.

It comes in response to a spike in antisocial incidents – quite separate to the actions of the majority of responsible visitors – that escalated last year when littering, wild fires and vandalism became a source of outrage for year-round residents, particularly from near Loch Rannoch, Tay and Tummel.

Perth and Kinross Council environment and infrastructure convener Councillor Angus Forbes said: “Last year there was, unsurprisingly, a huge number of visitors to Perth and Kinross.

“We know that the actions of just a small number of people can upset residents and other visitors so we’re taking action this year to try to stop any problems arising.

“The visitor rangers programme has been funded for two years and we are sure they will help prevent anti-social behaviour.”

Each visitor ranger has their own van, branded with the ‘Love it

Like You Live Here’ logo, referring to a new campaign to encourage responsible tourism.

In an effort to prevent the human waste blight of last summer, temporary toilets will be installed at 11 popular tourist spots next week. The rangers will also have a supply of ‘Dig It In!’ kits they can give to campers.

Last year a number of ‘clearways’ were introduced on some narrow roads in Perthshire to stop drivers blocking access by parking on verges.

Parking attendants have been issuing tickets to motorists flouting the sign posted no parking zone.

An email address has been set up at visitormanagement@pkc. gov.uk for communities to report any issues.