Glenfinnan traffic chaos

Cars blocking single-track roads and camper vans abandoned in the middle of road junctions by some of the 2,000 visitors a day flocking to Glenfinnan and its world-famous ‘Harry Potter Bridge’ are causing chaos for local residents.

More than 300,000 visitors now descend on Glenfinnan each year to view the 21-arch viaduct that overlooks Loch Shiel and the ‘Harry Potter’ Jacobite steam train as it makes its regular crossings of the imposing structure.

Coupled with people coming to view the nearby monument honouring fallen Jacobite clansmen, plus fans of the television series Outlander, it has caused a desperate shortage of car parking.

Local community council chairman Duncan Gibson, who has run the Glenfinnan House Hotel for 16 years with his wife Manja, said May was the busiest month he can remember in the village.

‘Glenfinnan has gotten steadily busier with tourists stopping to see the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, now made even more famous by the Harry Potter movies and it is also used in every VisitScotland advert that I have seen over the past few years,’ he said.

‘This past May has been the busiest that I can remember in my 16 years here. It is vital that the infrastructure can cope with more people travelling on the A830.

‘We are also in desperate need of more parking to stop visitors parking along single track roads, blocking other traffic and also putting local children in danger walking to or back from the school bus.’

However, a community initiative is now being launched in an effort to alleviate some of the problems.

Local volunteers are being sought to help gather evidence of the traffic problems at Glenfinnan in order to help secure funding for a new tourist car park with space for both cars and motorhomes.

Glenfinnan Estate recently secured the area of land between the National Trust site and the River Finnan – normally used each summer for Highland Games parking – and is willing to lease it in order to create parking for up to 130 vehicles and make a safe pathway across the river to the viaduct.

But for this to happen, the community needs to gather evidence in support of an application to the Scottish Government’s Rural Infrastructure Fund.

It is proposed volunteers will take a ‘snapshot’ of what is happening on Tuesday July 10, with people placed at key sites counting cars and chatting to visitors. A survey has also been launched to gather views on the scale of the parking issues.

Lochaber constituency MSP Kate Forbes, who has met with Mr Gibson and the local community council, said it was imperative solutions were found to ensure a safe and sustainable experience for all visitors, with more parking top of the list, adding: ‘I am positive that we can put together a good plan which will create additional parking as well as improve the visitor experience.’