Road to the isles could be costly for motorhomes

THEIR owners feel a sense of freedom as they explore Scotland’s islands, taking their accommodation with them.

But motorhomes are putting pressure on the local infrastructure and should be hit with a levy to pay for better facilities, according to a local MSP.

Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan said the vehicles had contributed to clogging up ferries and creating waste disposal problems and the island infrastructure was not able to keep up with demand.

He has written to Transport Minister Humza Yousaf seeking a levy to fund improvements in the infrastructure in line with local priorities.

Dr Allan says the numbers of motorhomes using island ferry routes has shot up nearly tenfold over the past decade, with more than 4,000 believed to have travelled to the Western Isles this year by the various ferry routes. He suggests the levy could be collected by CalMac as part of the ticket price. Similar schemes work in other countries.

Dr Allan said: ‘It has been a fantastic thing for our local economies that we have had record numbers of tourists visiting here and enjoying our island hospitality, but this success has brought its own set of problems.’

He welcomed the Scottish Government’s investment in bigger ferries but said the resulting influx of motorhomes revealed a lack of sites and waste disposal units.

‘This should not be about making motorhome visitors feel unwelcome,’ he said. ‘This is about recognising the pressures created on infrastructure.’

In recent weeks, islanders on Skye have complained that mass tourism has led to increased rubbish and erosion damage to roads, verges and paths.