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.
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.
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.
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”.
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.