Highland Council voluntary charge car parks including Moho overnights

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CeciliaFreer
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Highland Council voluntary charge car parks including Moho overnights

Post by CeciliaFreer »

Spotted in a Facebook group and copied for info - overnight parking in several locations will now be allowed across Highland
Council. I put a thank you comment under the article on the paper’s site (I think it was this one but may have been a different publication) a couple of days ago, as were some of the other group members, which was good to see as there were a few negative comments from non motorhomers.

Home News Highlands & Islands
Invitation to pay measures to be introduced at popular Highland beauty spots
By Nicola Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter
November 5, 2021, 6:00 am

Councillors in Caithness and Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh have agreed to implement ‘Invitation To Pay’ (ITP) at popular car parks.

Each area committee in Highland is being asked to agree voluntary car parking charges at tourism hotspots.

On Wednesday, members of the Caithness area committee agreed to implement the ITP measures at seven car parks in the county.

Charging is already in place in areas of Nairn and Inverness.

Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh councillors followed suit on Thursday.

Signs to be erected informing motorists of the voluntary charge

Under the plan, car parks under Highland Council control will be fitted with smart parking meters and signs informing motorists that their voluntary donations will be invested back into the local community.

The charges are £1 for up to two hours, £2 for up to four hours, £3 for up to 12 hours and £5 for up to 24 hours.

The council also intends to relax its rules around overnight parking to allow motorhomes and campervans to park overnight in designated bays, for a fee of £10.

Dedicated bays for motorhomes will be created.
Investing in tourist hotspots

The ITP plan is part of a wider visitor management strategy proposed by the council’s tourism committee as a way of providing better facilities for visitors and investing in tourist hotspots.

Shane Manning, chief transport officer for the Highland Council, has underlined that there will be no enforcement, having picked up on anxieties in other Highland communities that this was ‘car parking charges by the back door.’

“If people choose not to pay they will not be penalised for that,” said Mr Manning, while adding that compliance in other areas was between 60% and 80%.

Mr Manning said the council wants to take a positive approach to visitor management, basing its strategy on the ‘good’ visitors.

He also revealed that three car parks in Nairn operating the scheme have generated £26,000 since June 24.

Dedicated bays to be created for motorhomes

In Caithness, the scheme will be rolled out at Dunnet Head, Dunnet Seadrift, Duncansby Head, Noss Head, Reiss Beach, and the Camps and Riverside car parks in Wick.

Dedicated bays will be created for motorhomes and campervans.

Councillor Karl Rosie expressed some concern that the council appeared to be relying on people’s general sense of responsibility and common sense, and asked why the council does not make the payment mandatory.

Karl Rosie
Start with the good customers

Mr Manning answered that a mandatory payment would require council to amend the Traffic Regulation Order to deliver enforcement powers. He also said that the tourism committee wanted to take a positive approach to visitor management.

“The decision of the committee was essentially ‘Let’s not plan our strategy as a tourist destination based on the bad customers. Let’s base it on the majority of good customers. Let’s provide them with a safe place to park up overnight off the main road, and not in laybys.”

Mandatory charges will not be snuck in

Mr Manning added that the scheme would be reviewed and mandatory charging could be brought in if it was not successful.

However, he stressed that mandatory charging could not be implemented without a full public consultation and the agreement of local members.

Picking up that point, Councillor Andrew Sinclair said that the public were concerned that these measures could ultimately lead to enforced car parking charges, which he said he would not support.

Councillor Matthew Reiss expressed a similar worry.

It will be left up to drivers if they wish to pay the recommended fee
Mr Manning said this was a common concern in other areas too, but stressed that “there are stringent safeguards in place to stop any attempt to sneak something in.”

The discussion in Caithness was chaired by councillor Willie Mackay, with newly-elected Caithness chairman Raymond Bremner having had to leave for a personal emergency.

Having heard all members’ views, Mr Mackay moved that the ITP be adopted.

He said: “I welcome this 100%.

“We’re so far behind in this county when it comes to paying your way.

“The first thing every tourist looks for coming over the Ord is the parking meter. They can’t believe that everything is free.”

Proposal also approved in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

Councillors in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh also approved the schemes introduction.

The areas initially tabled for charging were Latheron Lane in Ullapool, Gruinard Beach, Gairloch Harbour, the upper village in Kyle of Lochalsh, and Plockton village.

Under the plan, motorhomes will be permitted to stay overnight at Latheron Lane and Gruinard Beach.

In consultation with the Plockton community, an area of land at the airfield has also been identified for motorhome parking.

Discussing the proposals, councillor Biz Campbell highlighted that Plockton Community Council would like to see the car park extended, and Mr Manning confirmed he is supporting the community in a bid for funding to do so.

Dornie and Rogie Falls may join scheme

Mrs Campbell also asked for Dornie Hall to be included in the ITP scheme, at the request of the hall committee.

This was agreed by members as an additional recommendation to the report.

Chairman Ian Cockburn expressed some frustration that the Forestry Commission’s Rogie Falls carpark remained “overloaded”.

Rogie Falls
Mr Cockburn was informed that the council and the Forestry Commission are now working on a deal for the council to run the car park and introduce voluntary charges there too.

Members of the committee welcomed the ITP scheme and passed it unanimously.
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Re: Highland Council voluntary charge car parks including Moho overnights

Post by arthur49 »

Thank you Cecilia. Interesting that basically an honesty payment system delivered 60 - 80% compliance. I think that is a good result for an honesty system, though well off 100%
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Re: Highland Council voluntary charge car parks including Moho overnights

Post by Alexander12 »

CeciliaFreer wrote: Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:45 pm Spotted in a Facebook group and copied for info - overnight parking in several locations will now be allowed across Highland
Council. I put a thank you comment under the article on the paper’s site (I think it was this one but may have been a different publication) a couple of days ago, as were some of the other group members, which was good to see as there were a few negative comments from non motorhomers.

Home News Highlands & Islands
Invitation to pay measures to be introduced at popular Highland beauty spots
By Nicola Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter
November 5, 2021, 6:00 am

Councillors in Caithness and Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh have agreed to implement ‘Invitation To Pay’ (ITP) at popular car parks.

Each area committee in Highland is being asked to agree voluntary car parking charges at tourism hotspots.

On Wednesday, members of the Caithness area committee agreed to implement the ITP measures at seven car parks in the county.

Charging is already in place in areas of Nairn and Inverness.

Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh councillors followed suit on Thursday.

Signs to be erected informing motorists of the voluntary charge

Under the plan, car parks under Highland Council control will be fitted with smart parking meters and signs informing motorists that their voluntary donations will be invested back into the local community.

The charges are £1 for up to two hours, £2 for up to four hours, £3 for up to 12 hours and £5 for up to 24 hours.

The council also intends to relax its rules around overnight parking to allow motorhomes and campervans to park overnight in designated bays, for a fee of £10.

Dedicated bays for motorhomes will be created.
Investing in tourist hotspots

The ITP plan is part of a wider visitor management strategy proposed by the council’s tourism committee as a way of providing better facilities for visitors and investing in tourist hotspots.

Shane Manning, chief transport officer for the Highland Council, has underlined that there will be no enforcement, having picked up on anxieties in other Highland communities that this was ‘car parking charges by the back door.’

“If people choose not to pay they will not be penalised for that,” said Mr Manning, while adding that compliance in other areas was between 60% and 80%.

Mr Manning said the council wants to take a positive approach to visitor management, basing its strategy on the ‘good’ visitors.

He also revealed that three car parks in Nairn operating the scheme have generated £26,000 since June 24.

Dedicated bays to be created for motorhomes

In Caithness, the scheme will be rolled out at Dunnet Head, Dunnet Seadrift, Duncansby Head, Noss Head, Reiss Beach, and the Camps and Riverside car parks in Wick.

Dedicated bays will be created for motorhomes and campervans.

Councillor Karl Rosie expressed some concern that the council appeared to be relying on people’s general sense of responsibility and common sense, and asked why the council does not make the payment mandatory.

Karl Rosie
Start with the good customers

Mr Manning answered that a mandatory payment would require council to amend the Traffic Regulation Order to deliver enforcement powers. He also said that the tourism committee wanted to take a positive approach to visitor management.

“The decision of the committee was essentially ‘Let’s not plan our strategy as a tourist destination based on the bad customers. Let’s base it on the majority of good customers. Let’s provide them with a safe place to park up overnight off the main road, and not in laybys.”

Mandatory charges will not be snuck in

Mr Manning added that the scheme would be reviewed and mandatory charging could be brought in if it was not successful.

However, he stressed that mandatory charging could not be implemented without a full public consultation and the agreement of local members.

Picking up that point, Councillor Andrew Sinclair said that the public were concerned that these measures could ultimately lead to enforced car parking charges, which he said he would not support.

Councillor Matthew Reiss expressed a similar worry.

It will be left up to drivers if they wish to pay the recommended fee
Mr Manning said this was a common concern in other areas too, but stressed that “there are stringent safeguards in place to stop any attempt to sneak something in.”

The discussion in Caithness was chaired by councillor Willie Mackay, with newly-elected Caithness chairman Raymond Bremner having had to leave for a personal emergency.

Having heard all members’ views, Mr Mackay moved that the ITP be adopted.

He said: “I welcome this 100%.

“We’re so far behind in this county when it comes to paying your way.

“The first thing every tourist looks for coming over the Ord is the parking meter. They can’t believe that everything is free.”

Proposal also approved in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

Councillors in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh also approved the schemes introduction.

The areas initially tabled for charging were Latheron Lane in Ullapool, Gruinard Beach, Gairloch Harbour, the upper village in Kyle of Lochalsh, and Plockton village.

Under the plan, motorhomes will be permitted to stay overnight at Latheron Lane and Gruinard Beach.

In consultation with the Plockton community, an area of land at the airfield has also been identified for motorhome parking.

Discussing the proposals, councillor Biz Campbell highlighted that Plockton Community Council would like to see the car park extended, and Mr Manning confirmed he is supporting the community in a bid for funding to do so.

Dornie and Rogie Falls may join scheme

Mrs Campbell also asked for Dornie Hall to be included in the ITP scheme, at the request of the hall committee.

This was agreed by members as an additional recommendation to the report.

Chairman Ian Cockburn expressed some frustration that the Forestry Commission’s Rogie Falls carpark remained “overloaded”.

Rogie Falls
Mr Cockburn was informed that the council and the Forestry Commission are now working on a deal for the council to run the car park and introduce voluntary charges there too.

Members of the committee welcomed the ITP scheme and passed it unanimously.

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Thank you for sharing this information about the new parking measures in Highland Council. It's great to hear that the council is taking steps to provide better facilities for visitors and invest in tourist hotspots. The introduction of 'Invitation To Pay' (ITP) at popular car parks, along with the creation of dedicated bays for motorhomes, shows a positive approach to visitor management.

I understand some concerns about potential enforcement, but it's reassuring to know that the council has no plans for penalizing those who choose not to pay. The voluntary nature of the charges allows visitors to contribute to the local community if they wish to do so. It's also good to see that the council wants to base its strategy on the majority of responsible visitors rather than relying on mandatory payments.

I hope these measures will be successful in generating funds for the community and providing a safe place for overnight parking. It's encouraging to see that the scheme will be reviewed, and any decision on mandatory charging would involve public consultation and the agreement of local members. This transparent approach should address the concerns raised by some individuals.

Overall, it's a positive step forward for Highland Council, and I hope these measures will enhance the experience for both visitors and locals alike. Thank you for sharing this update with the group!
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Re: Highland Council voluntary charge car parks including Moho overnights

Post by LizM »

Alexander J why have you reposted this two years later. It mentions two spots I know for a fact STILL do NOT allow overnight parking 2 years later. Plockton still has the original Highland Council signage in its FREE car park, which states Overnight parking IS NOT ALLOWED. Dornie is the same. The locals don't like it there because the car park overlooks the Eilean Donan Castle and is vefry busy with tourist coaches. I checked the Plockton car park on 21st May.
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