Councillors have today decided to move to impose an overnight ban on campervans using council car parks along the NC500 route.
The decision followed complaints from locals about waste dumping and anti-social behaviour.
Tourists who road trip on the spectacular route across the north Highlands has attracted criticism[/caption]
Highland Council’s Sutherland County Committee unanimously agreed to recommend the ban at two key car parks where overnight stays are currently permitted.
At present, these car parks, located in Durness and Golspie on the NC500 route, allow campervans to stay overnight for £10 per night.
Visitors are currently restricted to a single night’s stay and are prohibited from returning within 72 hours.
While daytime parking would remain unaffected, the council’s parking enforcement team would begin policing overnight stays.
At present, parking penalty charges stand at £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
A motion tabled by councillors Richard Gale and Jim McGillivray stated: “Given the impact of overnight parking of campervans in council car parks leading to inappropriate waste disposal and other anti-social behaviour, the Sutherland Area Committee agrees to impose a ban on all overnight campervan and motorhome parking in council car parks in the County of Sutherland, with signage being put in place to direct them to alternative parking options in the local area.
Mr Gale remarked that he had been “bombarded” with emails from angry residents.
He cited an example of 12 campervans and motorhomes parking at Shore Street car park in Golspie, including in a disabled parking bay.
Mr McGillivray noted similar issues in Dornoch, where signs warn against overnight stays, despite the proximity of a private campsite just a short distance away.
“I am unhappy with Highland Council’s use of public money introducing unfair competition with private camping and caravan sites,” he added.
The full council will now be asked to approve the ban.
However, council officers have warned of significant financial implications.
Additional enforcement costs could range from £4,100 (for overtime using existing staff) to £41,000 (if a full-time enforcement officer is required).
One-off costs for signage and marking changes are estimated at £1,000.
The report also noted potential risks of further costs associated with Road Traffic Orders but stated that no quantified assumptions had yet been made.
A detailed site-by-site assessment would be conducted if the motion progresses.
Locals to the NC500 said their villages are being invaded by campervans[/caption]
The proposal aims to restrict overnight campervan parking to designated caravan and camping sites.
While this could reduce inappropriate waste disposal and anti-social behaviour, there is concern that displaced campervans might park in laybys or engage in wild camping, potentially causing greater disruption in rural areas.
Sutherland councillor Hugh Morrison, vice-chair of the committee, criticised the council’s current approach, saying: “The community councils in certain areas of Sutherland along the NC500 are very unhappy about the way Highland Council have dumped these mobile homes in the centre of their villages through this overnight scheme, which is only an invitation to pay anyway.
“There are no amenities close to these car parks as well.”
The Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme, introduced last year, was intended to address issues related to indiscriminate overnight parking.
Costing £40 for a seven-day pass, the scheme offers access to 12 council-owned car parks for overnight stays, as well as access to High Life Highland facilities for washing.
However, it excludes waste disposal.
Despite being the first scheme of its kind in the UK, it has been poorly received.
As of August, fewer than 40 permits had been sold.
Conservative MSP Edward Mountain has called for the scheme to be scrapped, claiming it could cost £2 million.
“What we should be doing is encouraging the 27 per cent of motorhome users on the NC500 who don’t use campsites to go into local campsites and use the facilities there,” he said.
“The council going into competition with these businesses is madness, especially as six weeks into the scheme, they have sold less than 40 permits.”
The NC500 has been long the subject of complaints from locals[/caption]
Parking enforcement currently operates between 8am and 10pm, meaning the council’s overnight parking rules (10pm to 8am) are difficult to enforce.
The NC500 has long been the subject of complaints from locals.
While hailed by National Geographic, CNN, and TV shows like Top Gear as one of the world’s greatest road trips, tensions have escalated over the years.
Police have responded to motoring issues along the 516-mile route, including speeding, slow-moving motorhome convoys, and long tailbacks caused by bikers.
In 2018, police investigated incidents involving attempts to puncture vehicle tyres, with roofing tacks discovered scattered on a road near Bettyhill.
Despite these challenges, the NC500 is estimated to contribute over £22 million annually to the local economy.
The route has been described as both “a highway to hell” and “a road paved with gold,” reflecting its dual impact of boosting tourism while frustrating residents.
The popular route has been a source of controversy[/caption]
