Turn around and go home
Drivers heading for beauty spots stopped by police roadblocks North Coast 500 route f ills with traff ic as locals plead: Stay away
SCOTS trying to drive to beauty spots were stopped in their tracks by police roadblocks yesterday as part of a major crackdown on people flouting lockdown rules.
Only residents were able to reach the shores of Loch Lomond and parts of Stirlingshire, with day-trippers sent home.
It follows hordes of people defying the coronavirus restrictions last weekend by travelling farther than the recommended five miles from home.
As temperatures have soared and strict rules eased, families have flocked to beaches, parks and scenic areas.
Traffic trebled in some areas and police issued more than 2,000 dispersal orders over last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
On Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that she would be forced to introduce tough new lockdown laws if even a ‘minority’ of people continued to ignore Government safety advice.
On Friday, Police Scotland and Stirling Council announced they were closing a road beside Loch Lomond to deter day-trippers.
The B-road between Drymen and Rowardennan will allow only locals access for the next three weeks, to stop people travelling to places such as Balmaha.
The Bracklinn Road, near Bracklinn Falls in Callander, has also been closed.
Gordon Watson, chief executive of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, said the area was ‘simply not ready for large numbers of visitors yet’.
Stirling councillor Danny Gibson said: ‘Last week we saw people abandoning their cars, leaving rubbish, toileting in residents’ gardens and generally showing a complete disregard for public health and national guidance. The congregation of large numbers of people ignoring social distancing, that we saw and was reported to us in Balmaha, creates a huge risk of spreading coronavirus.’
Police are urging the public to follow the Scottish Government’s public health advice – and not attend mass gatherings such as protests.
Inspector Andy Bushell, from Forth Valley Division, said: ‘Over the past week there has been a significant increase in footfall within our national parks and beauty spots, causing an increase in congestion, potential for accidents, and dangerous and inconsiderate parking on country roads.’
‘We have also witnessed a lot of groups not following the Government regulations, engaging in antisocial behaviour and some with no regard for the impact the behaviour was having on local residents.’
The travel crackdown comes as residents of villages dotted along one of the country’s most scenic routes complain it is becoming ‘packed’ with tourists.
In the past week roads that form the North Coast 500 – which begins in Inverness and skirt the coast through Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness – have been busy with caravans, cyclists and motorbikes.
Shopkeepers have reported large numbers of visitors from all over Britain and abroad – with tourists saying they had travelled hundreds of miles from London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds and even Poland.
Some villagers have now posted notices telling tourists they are not welcome – amid fears they could infect locals with coronavirus.
Politicians are calling for new powers to deter people from flouting the rules.
The grocery shop at Lochinver, Sutherland, has put up a large ‘stay at home’ sign, warning that ‘unless you are a local resident or worker you will be denied access and politely asked to leave’. An employee said: ‘Last weekend was terrible. We had people from
Poland, Russia, Italy, a lot of foreigners, also people from Bolton and a lot from Glasgow.
‘We even had people ask the directions to climb Suilven. The beach at Achmelvich was packed. They even moved the “closed” signs there.
‘There were motorbikers all over the place and motorhomes. We told them that if it [the virus] goes round our village, our village is finished.’
Photographs were taken of a number of cars at the Achmelvich beach car park last week, with one local claiming only three of the vehicles were owned by residents.
Visitors are warned they may struggle to find somewhere to stay.
One hospitality worker described – in disbelief – how a tourist climbed over her fence and walked into her sitting room last week. She said: ‘I
‘Beach was packed and “closed” signs moved’
immediately asked him to go outside, of course. Apparently, he had tried to get our number but couldn’t get through and was looking for a room to sleep in for the night.’
One resident in Durness, Sutherland, complained he had found an Italian person sleeping in one of his outbuildings.
Last night, Highland councillor Hugh Morrison, who runs the Smoo
Cave Hotel at Durness, said: ‘The police have no powers to stop them.
‘The cars came from places as far away as London, Leeds and the Central Belt – all over Britain.’
Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and the SNP leader at Westminster, said: ‘I understand the frustration local people feel and I would encourage the police to have words with those responsible, but if this continues we might have to consider strengthening the legislation.’
The official NC500 website states it ‘fully’ endorses the Scottish Government’s advice for people to stay home and save lives.