Bid to stem tourism tide

Glencoe and Glen Etive residents often breathe a sigh of relief in November at the end of the tourist season, but the community council wants that to change through managing the effects visitor numbers cause, writes Richard Mason.

An excessive volume of cars cause congestion in the single track road leading to Glen Etive and the busy A82 in Glen Coe. Chairwoman of Glencoe and Glen Etive Community Council Victoria Sutherland wants to work with the National Trust for Scotland, a large landowner in the area, to apply for infrastructure funding.

She said: ‘There is a plot of land at the junction that joins the road to Kinlochleven and the A82 that we think would be perfect for a car park. Ever increasing numbers of tourists are coming to the area and a lot cannot find space to stop in the village.

‘This is a proposition at the moment and nothing is set in stone, but it would take pressure off the car parks in the glen.’

Mrs Sutherland suggested people could hire bikes and cycle to Glen Coe, allowing them to enjoy what the village has to offer – from local lunch spots to the Folk Museum – and not have to worry about getting out of the car parks on the A82.

Another suggestion is to put up passing place signs on the road to Glen Etive that also say ‘no parking’.

It wants to apply to the Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund but would first have to apply to Highland Council.

A council spokesman said: ‘For the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund, either local authorities or National Park authorities act as the applicant to the fund but decisions on which projects are successful are taken by an assessment panel set up by the Scottish Government.

‘The level of grant available varies from £70,000 to £375,000 depending on the detail and scale of the project, and the amount of match funding being provided by the applicant. As Glencoe is undoubtedly one of the best known destinations in Highland and could benefit from further investment in tourism infrastructure, the council would be happy to work with the community council or other local partners on making an application to the fund.’

The group has until January 22 to apply and is working to get views from everyone who might be affected.