Cllr SCOULLAR OFFERS SUPPORT TO TIREE RESIDENTS

A bid by residents of the isle of Tiree to manage the number of camper vans and mobile homes, which visit the island, was supported today by a senior councillor.

Argyll and Bute Council’s spokesperson for Islands and European Affairs, Councillor Len Scoullar, was referring to the work of the Tiree Access Forum (TAF) – a community group set up to improve the experience for the island’s visitors as well as manage the problems during the tourist season.

Tiree has witnessed a 154% increase in the number of camper vans and mobile homes visiting the island in June and July 2009, compared to the same period the previous year.

Councillor Scoullar said: “I am delighted that so many people want to visit this wonderful island, but the sheer scale of the influx has been causing problems.

“There is only one small campsite on Tiree which was fully booked all summer, and the island simply does not have the capacity to cater for the additional demand of up to 50 camper vans a night.

“The result is that people have been parking wherever they can. Often, this means that they park on the machair, disturbing the wildlife and damaging the grass and wild flowers which are so much a part of Tiree’s beauty.”

The machair is also important for the crofters whose livestock graze these areas, which are managed as common grazing.

In addition to the lack of sites, there have also been problems with the inappropriate disposal of human waste by some visitors. The emptying of chemical toilets is a particular concern, as there is no suitable facility on Tiree and some chemicals used in these toilets are not compatible with the island’s septic tanks.

The TAF is seeking to establish better facilities on the island for camper vans and mobile homes, as well as limiting the number of vans visiting the island to the number of sites available.

The group is proposing to do this by asking crofters to provide up to three pitches each, where the mobile homes can park overnight for a modest fee. It is hoped that this might provide an additional 30 pitches in time for next summer, in addition to those already available at the campsite.

The islanders recently held a public vote, which strongly supported this approach. The proposal would also involve ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne, requiring the owners of camper vans and mobile homes to make a reservation for a Tiree pitch before they can purchase a ferry ticket. TAF is currently working on establishing a suitable booking system.

The Forum also hopes to establish a facility on the island for the emptying of chemical toilets, and will be asking visiting mobile homes to use one of the green alternatives tothe traditional chemicals, in order to make the waste compatible with the island’s septic tanks.

In addition, the Forum is working to establish car parks in the most appropriate locations with better visitor facilities, as well as improved pedestrian and cycle access to the beaches. To this end, it launched a voluntary parking permit scheme earlier this year for everyone accessing Tiree’s beaches.

Councillor Scoullar said: “TAF’s aim is to provide the best possible facilities for visitors while at the same time protecting its fragile natural environment.

“This is not about trying to discourage people from experiencing what this beautiful island has to offer. It’s about making sure that its increasing popularity as a tourist destination does not have a detrimental impact on its unique and fragile habitat.

“TAF is determined to work with the camping and caravanning community to ensure that everyone can enjoy Tiree in a manageable and sustainable way.”