Image: Google Street View.
New parking charges have been introduced at Tarbet Pier picnic site in the Scottish Highlands in a bid to to help alleviate visitor pressures, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority has said.
A Pay & Display charging system is now operational at the car park, together with signage advising visitors of appropriate use of the car park and two new bins.
Visitors will be able to park for 30 minutes (50p), two hours (£1), four hours (£2) or all day (£4).
The National Park Authority is also working on medium and longer-term projects to contribute to the overall offering for motorhome and campervan visitors.
Two designated bays will be made specifically for campervans and motorhomes to pay to stay overnight.
Arrochar and Tarbet motorhome stopovers
Discussions are also underway with local stakeholders to pilot an ‘aire’ motorhome stopover scheme in and around Arrochar and Tarbet, allowing campervan and motorhome to park overnight and use services such as waste disposal.
In the coming years, the Park Authority is planning to deliver further improvements to the layout and facilities available at the site.
This work will be informed by a masterplan being drawn up for the site and work will start in 2022/23.
Kenny Auld, Head of Visitor Services at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, said: “The Tarbet picnic site was originally designed for day visitors arriving by car and in coaches, so its growing popularity as an informal campervan / motorhome overnight facility has made it more difficult to balance competing user needs.
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“In recent weeks, we have used on-site signage, targeted patrols from National Park Rangers and community wardens, and social media messaging to engage with people using the site and to direct campervan or motorhome users to more appropriate overnight sites nearby.
“These measures are already making an impact.
“The new charging system, introducing dedicated motorhome spaces and continued engagement with motorhome visitors will further help relieve pressures at this busy visitor site in Tarbet.”
Funds raised from the parking charges will contribute towards maintaining and investing in quality sites across the National Park.
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