Welcome to Glencoe … just don’t pull your car over to take photos
Transport bosses place ‘no stopping’ order on A82 through Glencoe to combat tailbacks from snappy happy tourists, writes Ellie Forbes
TRANSPORT bosses have put a “no stopping” order on a popular tourist route through Glencoe – to combat tailbacks caused by snap-happy motorists pulling over to take pictures.
The order covers about 35 miles of the A82 between Tyndrum and North Ballachulish in a bid to ease congestion on the famous route.
Drivers will now face a fine if caught pulling over outwith properly marked places – with locals claiming it comes as a result of “irresponsible parking” on the busy road.
Transport Scotland said it has brought in the order to manage high volumes of traffic in the area with around two million journeys made through Glencoe every year.
It comes as lockdown eases and a surge of domestic staycation tourists expected to head north this summer.
A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: “There is a high volume of traffic in this area every year and there have been instances where motorists have parked their vehicles on the A82 and subsequently caused tailbacks and congestion.
“This order prevents that and ensures all stopping is in the proper marked parking places, allowing free flow of traffic through Glencoe at all times.”
National Trust for Scotland, which owns Glencoe National Nature Reserve and has cared for the glen since the 1930s, welcomed the development.
A spokeswoman said: “Around two million vehicles travel through the Glens on the A82 each year and this places pressure on the environment and local people.
“We’re committed to making the community and landscape more resilient to rising visitor numbers and welcome the action taken by Transport Scotland as it is intended to ensure the safety of visitors, volunteers, staff and local residents alike.”
Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Niall Mclean said the order was unfortunate but necessary given issues with parking on the road.
Mr Mclean said: “This is the result of irresponsible parking on the road network.
“It’s unfortunate that this will likely affect people who do apply common sense when parking.
“We need clear rules that are easy to enforce so I support the order.
“I really don’t want to see measures such as this being necessary, but unfortunately they are.”
Around £375,000 is being made available to Glencoe and Glen Etive from the Rural Tourism
Infrastructure Fund to support the local community as the tourist season picks up.
Money will be spent upgrading Glencoe’s busiest parking areas beside the A82 at the Three Sisters viewpoint, a busy stop-off for photographers and walkers.
A survey carried out in Glencoe and Glen Etive after last summer found 70 per cent of people said the area’s natural beauty was being negatively impacted by its popularity.
Nearly half of the 3,000 respondents said they had felt unsafe or inconvenienced by the parking and driving they experienced.
Order ensures all stopping is in the proper parking places, allowing free flow of traffic through Glencoe