Latest news with #HighlandCouncil
STV News
a day ago
- Automotive
- STV News
Councils across north agree £300m deal to install 570 EV charging ports
Electric Vehicle charging points in the North of Scotland will more than double in the next three years. An extra 570 places to top up car batteries are to be installed as part of a £300m deal jointly funded but Highland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils. EV infrastructure company EasyGo will develop the network while also adopting and maintaining the area's existing charging points as part of a 20-year contract. The company currently operates the largest EV network in Ireland, with over 4,500 charging stations across the Emerald Isle. It's the first time several councils have come together to work on a deal of this kind, with Highland Council taking the lead in the project. Councillor Ken Gowans, vice convener, said: 'By addressing the critical need for expanded charging infrastructure, we are removing significant barriers to electric vehicle adoption, better serving our communities in both urban and rural areas and delivering a wide range of community benefits. 'Together, we are paving the way for a greener, more equitable and connected future across the Highlands and beyond.' Of the funding, £7m comes from Transport Scotland's £30m Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, which is aimed at helping councils to work with private companies to boost the number of charging stations across Scotland. Cabinet secretary for transport Fiona Hyslop said: 'Our £30m Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund has now been fully allocated to support this type of collaboration across the country and is expected to support the delivery of around 6,000 additional public charge points by 2030. 'In the north of Scotland, our investment has enabled an innovative procurement partnership across four local authorities, that is expected to leverage over £4.9m of additional matched private sector investment over the next three years to expand the availability, accessibility and reliability of public EV charging. 'As we transition away from ChargePlace Scotland, in line with our published vision for public charging infrastructure – this truly collaborative approach, supported through our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, directly contributes to our ambition to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Calls for campervan tax in the Scottish Highlands amid claims roads ‘can't cope' with traffic
Calls have been made for a campervan tax in the Scottish Highlands amid claims that roads 'cannot cope' with increased tourist traffic. A Scottish Labour candidate for Inverness and Nairn for next year's Holyrood election has floated the idea of a tourist tax that specifically targets campervans being driven in the area. The candidate, Shaun Fraser, said that roads can no longer handle the surge of traffic in the Highlands, much of which is on the popular driving route, the North Coast 500 (NC500). Tourists flock to the 516-mile 'superloop' each year to drive among some of Scotland's most magnificent scenery as it weaves past glens, mountains, castles and coastline. The NC500 follows the main roads along the coastal edges of the North Highlands of Scotland, through Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle and Inverness-shire. Motorhome tourism has become popular along this route, with campervans making it easy to stop in off-grid locations with the essentials they need when shops or accommodation become scarce. The Highland Council estimated that nearly 36,000 campervans toured the historic and mountainous region in 2022 alone. However, with the surge in visitors has come an uptick in complaints from local residents over damaged verges, blocked passing spaces and overfilled bins, The Herald reported. Mr Fraser told the newspaper he wants to see a campervan tax introduced that would form part of a 'fair and well-designed' visitor levy to help maintain roads and boost public services. The Labour candidate continued: 'Tourism is a key aspect of the Highland economy, and it is important that we are sensitive the the introduction of such a scheme, but there has been a 65 per cent increase in tourist numbers since 2012 and local infrastructure has not kept up with these demands.' '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.' 'I would be open to looking at options attached to campervans, including number plate recognition to charge visiting campervans using Highland roads.' Proposals for tourist taxes are not unheard of in the Highlands, as the Highland Council have already started a consultation process of introducing a visitor levy in the region. The Highlands are joined by Scotland's two major cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, in working their way through consultations to introduce a visitor levy. The Visitor Levy Act became law in September 2024, which allows councils in Scotland to tax overnight accommodation if they wish to do so. While Glasgow is still making its way through the consultation stage, Edinburgh voted in January to add a five per cent surcharge on visitors' overnight stays by 2026. The Highland Council's visitor levy proposal would also see a charge that would apply to overnight accommodation to improve infrastructure, such as roads and public toilets, that incur wear and tear due to tourism. With more than six million people visiting the picturesque Highlands annually, the Highland Council calculated the tax could bring in between £5m and £10m a year. If approved, the Highlands' tourist tax could also be implemented by 2026.
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Calls for campervan tax in the Scottish Highlands amid claims roads ‘can't cope' with traffic
Calls have been made for a campervan tax in the Scottish Highlands amid claims that roads 'cannot cope' with increased tourist traffic. A Scottish Labour candidate for Inverness and Nairn for next year's Holyrood election has floated the idea of a tourist tax that specifically targets campervans being driven in the area. The candidate, Shaun Fraser, said that roads can no longer handle the surge of traffic in the Highlands, much of which is on the popular driving route, the North Coast 500 (NC500). Tourists flock to the 516-mile 'superloop' each year to drive among some of Scotland 's most magnificent scenery as it weaves past glens, mountains, castles and coastline. The NC500 follows the main roads along the coastal edges of the North Highlands of Scotland, through Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle and Inverness-shire. Motorhome tourism has become popular along this route, with campervans making it easy to stop in off-grid locations with the essentials they need when shops or accommodation become scarce. The Highland Council estimated that nearly 36,000 campervans toured the historic and mountainous region in 2022 alone. However, with the surge in visitors has come an uptick in complaints from local residents over damaged verges, blocked passing spaces and overfilled bins, The Herald reported. Mr Fraser told the newspaper he wants to see a campervan tax introduced that would form part of a 'fair and well-designed' visitor levy to help maintain roads and boost public services. The Labour candidate continued: 'Tourism is a key aspect of the Highland economy, and it is important that we are sensitive the the introduction of such a scheme, but there has been a 65 per cent increase in tourist numbers since 2012 and local infrastructure has not kept up with these demands.' '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.' 'I would be open to looking at options attached to campervans, including number plate recognition to charge visiting campervans using Highland roads.' Proposals for tourist taxes are not unheard of in the Highlands, as the Highland Council have already started a consultation process of introducing a visitor levy in the region. The Highlands are joined by Scotland's two major cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, in working their way through consultations to introduce a visitor levy. The Visitor Levy Act became law in September 2024, which allows councils in Scotland to tax overnight accommodation if they wish to do so. While Glasgow is still making its way through the consultation stage, Edinburgh voted in January to add a five per cent surcharge on visitors' overnight stays by 2026. The Highland Council's visitor levy proposal would also see a charge that would apply to overnight accommodation to improve infrastructure, such as roads and public toilets, that incur wear and tear due to tourism. With more than six million people visiting the picturesque Highlands annually, the Highland Council calculated the tax could bring in between £5m and £10m a year.
Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Calls for Invergordon to be big winner from cruise ship levy as Highland Council backs plans
Calls have been made for Invergordon to be one of the main beneficiaries from a new cruise ship tax proposal. The Easter Ross town receives the vast majority of cruise traffic in the Highlands, with 4,300 passengers docking last week alone. The Scottish Government recently consulted with local authorities, asking for their views on introducing cruise ship levy powers. Highland Council has endorsed the principal of giving authorities the powers to bring in a levy in a response agreed today. However, the move does not mean they will necessarily introduce it. Meanwhile, calls have been made for the communities that roll out the welcome mat for visitors to benefit from any extra cash. Cromarty Firth councillor John Edmondson said the Invergordon port 'dwarfs all the other cruise passenger visits in the Highlands.' With around 222,000 visitors a year, Mr Edmondson told councillors the Invergordon port 'represents almost the population of the Highlands coming in every year.' He said: 'It's a big part of what goes on in our ward, but we are lacking infrastructure and we need quite a lot of changes to make it an even better experience. 'We've got to look at ways we can fund that.' Mr Edmondson added he was hopeful the council would consider how port towns would be the 'principal' beneficiaries. Before council discussions were held, Port of Cromarty Firth chief executive Alex Campbell spoke out against the idea of a cruise ship levy. He said a cruise ship levy 'would not benefit' the Highlands, and could end up 'damaging' communities who rely on cruise income. Highland Council's consultation response said European ports who have introduced a levy charge between €3-14 per passenger. In his own response to the government consultation, Mr Campbell said: 'The Port of Cromarty Firth does not understand the economic rationale for bringing in a local cruise levy. 'We believe that, far from benefiting our nation, it will in fact harm the reputation of Scotland as a tourist destination. 'Further, as an additional tax that is difficult to administer and collect, it will only damage relations with cruise operators.' The port believes that while Highland Council could bank £863,000 a year from a levy, businesses and communities could miss out on £2.4 million of spending from passengers. Highland Council has now submitted their response to the Scottish Government's cruise ship levy consultation after councillors agreed to move ahead. In principle, the council is supportive of giving local authorities the power to implement a levy 'if they wish to do so.' The response adds extra funding will help to 'mitigate the impact of tourism' and ensure the Highlands remains a 'world leading and sustainable tourism destination.' The latest figures show the Highlands had 8.4 million visitors in 2023, with 300,000 of those coming through the ports. Inverness councillor Duncan Macpherson told councillors a cruise ship levy may end up pricing some visitors out of visiting the Highlands. Skye councillor Ruraidh Stewart said he will not 'support any additional taxation of this kind that risks undermining the reputation of successful tourist destinations.' Fort William councillor Andrew Baxter said there is 'considerable residents interest in this issue' and he 'welcomed' the government weighing up the idea of a cruise levy. He warned councillors to be wary of disadvantaging west Highland ports over Invergordon in any future discussions. The consultation's closing date is the 30th May.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Drivers to face permanent 20mph limits across Scottish Highlands
This is despite the council being accused of fighting a 'war on motorists' with several councillors asking for the 20mph limits to be dropped. The reduced speed limit scheme was brought in across 125 Highland locations in September 2023. The results of the pilot scheme found the speed of those travelling above 20mph had dropped by an average of 2mph since the new limits were introduced. READ MORE: Scottish Government scraps plans for national park in Galloway Some councillors said the speed limit change had improved road safety in the Highlands and backed the plans, while Skye councillor Ruraidh Stewart called on the council to drop the 20mph limit. He said the pilot scheme had 'achieved a negligible change for a colossal price tag to taxpayers". The project was funded through the Scottish Government, with over £5 million spent on the scheme to date. Highland Council received £327,000 for being an 'early adopter' of the scheme. Stewart added: 'A blanket speed limit shouldn't be imposed across all of the Highlands.' Culloden councillor Trish Robertson said she was getting 'a lot of emails from folk who feel they haven't been listened to on this". Highland Council only received 302 responses during the main consultation period of the proposals. With the latest population data from 2023, this represents 0.13% of the Highland population. Representations were split 43% for the 20mph limits, 51% against, with 6% neutral. Robertson added: 'Many communities just don't want a 20mph speed limit.' She asked councillors to consider reviewing the changes in a year and giving communities the power to remove the speed limit if they chose to. A number of councillors rallied around to support the new speeds, citing the majority of the supporting consultation responses mentioned improved safety. Inverness councillor Michael Cameron said: 'I have way, way too much experience of the devastation that serious traffic accidents can cause. 'Speed is categorically the largest factor that determines whether an accident is minor or major. 'I really hope that this is the start of us viewing excessive speed in much the same way as we view drink driving.' Following the vote the council will now move ahead with creating a 'permanent' road traffic order. The final proposal will introduce permanent 20mph limits on about 370 miles of Highland roads. Which Highland roads will the limit be 20mph? The 125 settlements being taken forward for 20mph implementation can be seen here along with plans for each scheme extents. Highland Council are working closely with Transport Scotland to confirm the extents of any trunk roads in the Highland Council area where a 20mph speed limit could be progressed alongside the 20mph speed limits on non-trunk roads being taken forward. It is the responsibility of Transport Scotland to promote speed limit orders on the trunk road network, which includes the A82, A830, A835, A86, A87, A9, and A96.
