It is time that campervan users are taxed off the NC500

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

Cross the Rockies from Calgary to Vancouver in Canada and the roads and campsites are absolutely full of them, mainly driven by overseas tourists with all the time in the world on their hands.
Over there, they are very much welcomed, although there will undoubtedly be some grumbles from locals who are constantly stuck behind them,
To be fair, the main road through the Rockies is pretty decent and there are plenty of places to overtake.
But it is a very different situation in Scotland where campervans are treated as public enemy number one, particularly by people who live along the NC500.
It is easy to understand why they are so controversial.
For a start, the NC500 is not equipped to deal with campervans, particularly the famed Bealach na Ba from Lochcarron to the Applecross peninsula.
It is a nerve-wracking series of hairpin bends straight up the hill and it is scary enough when you only have cars coming the other way to worry about.
But despite signs at the bottom that state clearly the road is not suitable, many campervan drivers take the risk which is as stupid as it is selfish.
It is not just the Bealach na Ba, though, where campervans are causing misery for locals, it is along the entire route - one which just isn't set up for such mass tourism with its sharp bends and single lanes.
Glorious it may be but driving it comes with responsibility and that is where many campervan users let themselves down.
To be blunt, locals have simply had enough of them and it is hard to argue against them.
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Last week, the Labour candidate for the Inverness & Nairn constituency at next year's Holyrood election proposed a tourist tax on campervans visiting the Highlands.
Shaun Fraser said the roads 'cannot cope' with the huge increase in traffic in recent years.
He said the move would form part of a 'fair and well–designed' visitor levy to help maintain roads and fund public services stretched by surging tourist numbers.
The Highlands have seen a dramatic increase in motorhome tourism in recent years, with Highland Council estimating that nearly 36,000 campervans toured the region in 2022 alone.
That has led to a surge in complaints about congestion, illegal overnight parking, and waste being dumped.
Residents on the NC500 route have reported damaged verges, blocked passing places and overfilled bins during peak season.
Highland Council estimates a 5% levy on overnight accommodation could raise £10 million a year — with that figure rising further if a charge on campervans is included.
The council held a four–month public consultation on its draft scheme earlier this year and is now considering the feedback ahead of a full council vote.
If approved, the levy could come into force by winter 2026 - the earliest permitted under legislation passed by Holyrood last year.
That law, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act, gives local authorities the power to impose a charge on overnight tourist stays and spend the revenue on services that support tourism.
While the levy must be used to fund tourism–related improvements, critics have warned it must not be used to replace core funding lost through years of cuts.
Scottish Labour has long supported the introduction of a visitor levy and backed the legislation at Holyrood.
The party says councils should be empowered to design their own schemes and use the money to improve facilities for both residents and visitors.
However, it was recently criticised by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who described it as a tax on 'ordinary working people'.
Mr Fraser said: 'Initiatives such as the North Coast 500 have transformed the dynamics of Highland tourism, with a huge rise in campervans using rural single–track Highland roads.
"Our roads cannot cope with this. It is a mixed blessing.'
"Highland communities and local services must benefit from tourism. I support a fair and well–designed visitor levy and sensible measures to manage the impact of campervans.
'I would be open to looking at options attached to campervans, including number plate recognition to charge visiting campervans using Highland roads. I think that this should be considered.'
While this may sound draconian, it is certainly well worth considering.
Anyone who has driven the NC500, or at least parts of it, particularly in Wester Ross and Sutherland, can see the road is not suitable for such a vast amount of campervans.
And with the rise of social media sites such as Instagram fuelling people's desires to get the best pics at beauty spots that regularly feature then the situation is not going to get any better.
Any revenue raised that pays for better facilities and road improvements would be welcomed by pretty much everyone.
For those put off by the levy, then they probably weren't the type to go and act responsibly anyway.
Like everything else, it is not the campervans fault entirely, but the people who drive them and their passengers.
They are to blame for the state of the place and there is absolutely no excuse for behaving like savages just because the area is beautiful but remote.
They would be the first ones to complain if folk from the Highlands travelled down to their local park, left litter and human waste lying about and parked up on a path for days.
Obviously, the good folk of the Highlands wouldn't dream of doing such a thing so why do people from urban areas think it's fair game?
It is a good idea to tax them, in my opinion, in fact it should be extremely expensive so that it deters many people.
Maybe training courses should also be mandatory, educating people on the right way to drive and behave generally when travelling on rural roads.
Tourism is the main economic driver of the Highlands but it is in severe danger of becoming over-visited.
It is no longer just a summer thing, but now lasts throughout the year thanks to initiatives such as the NC500.
But there is a tipping point and we are probably nearly there already as many of the remotest areas become swamped and can no longer cope.
Visitors all have a responsibility when they are on holiday and anything that can deter the irresponsible ones should be welcomed - by everyone.