Motorists face new tourist tax as British hotspot's roads 'cannot cope' with crowds

Politicians are calling for a tax to be enforced, but local business groups have opposed the move.

British motorists face a new tax as roads at a tourist hotspot "cannot cope" with the volume of visitors. Locals have accused motorhome tourists of littering and clogging up the roads in the area.

The Scottish Highlands have become increasingly popular among tourists in recent years. The construction of the North Coast 500 in 2015, which is hailed as "Scotland's Route 66", has attracted people from across the globe. According to the local council, the Highlands have seen a 65% increase in tourists since 2012, with nearly 36,000 campervans touring the area in 2022.

As reported by the Telegraph, Labour and SNP politicians are now calling for campervan drivers to pay a tourist tax to drive through the Scottish Highlands. Some have suggested that cameras are installed to track registration plates and enforce payments.

This is despite the North Coast 500 boosting the local economy by £22m-a-year. Research from Glasgow Caledonian University found the route also creates around 200 jobs in the area.

Shaun Fraser, who is standing to be Labour MSP for Inverness and Nairn, 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."

A voluntary scheme was introduced by the Highway Council last year which saw visitors pay £40 to park in some areas. As well as parking, it gave tourists access to showering facilities.

However, despite setting an initial target of £500,000, the scheme is only expected to raise £20,000 in its first year. Many tourists have chosen to shun the payment.