Councillors rage over 'desecration' of Glenmore by ugly bollards
The desecration of the strath’s ‘Jewel in the Crown’ by ‘hideous’ bollards has ramped up the concern being shared by local Highland councillors.
“Anyone who has had the pleasure of visiting will have been left wondering why it has been deemed appropriate to cover the area with rows of horrible black and white bollards which would not look out of place on a motorway slip road in Glasgow or Birmingham,” raged Aviemore councillor Bill Lobban.
“Glenmore, especially the area around Loch Morlich is the jewel in the crown of the national park which has now been desecrated by these hideous bollards. It’s yet another example of the gross mismanagement of our natural assets.”
Highland Council’s local area committee chairman Russell Jones, too, spoke to the Strathy as frustration grew.
He said: “During the ill fated works on the loch side of the road the excess material was bunded quite neatly on the other verge. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what was going to happen next!
“We now have hideous bollards on one side and a flat verge that people park on the other side – totally ridiculous. The residents and businesses of Glenmore deserve better than this.”
He stressed: “A plan is in motion to better regulate parking at Glenmore but it is not happening quickly enough unfortunately. All the agencies, Forestry and Land Scotland, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and council have to work together to provide solutions.”
Fellow councillor Muriel Cockburn said: “ Glenmore is a special place and responsible safe parking allows all to enjoy the magic. The council have worked tirelessly with all partners and hopefully the Hayfield will be a positive solution.
“ I urge all that visit to respect our area and park responsibly.”
Mr Jones had some better news: “Work has begun on the council toilets at Glenmore and the pedestrian underpass, from the toilets to the campsite, will be reopened as well when they are completed.”
The council referred the Strathy to its May statement on the remedial works when the local authority’s economy and infrastructure committee chairman Ken Gowans said: “The tree protection works at the loch side have inevitably meant the loss of some informal parking areas.”
A spokesperson for Forestry and Land Scotland could only earlier this week refer the Strathy to the Highland Council over the bollards.
“They were designed and installed by Highland Council, which together with Police Scotland, has enforcement powers with regards to inconsiderate or illegal parking.
“Forestry and Land Scotland has no powers relating to traffic control or to the management of roadside parking.
“We do provide eight car parking areas in the Glenmore area (over 350 spaces) and continue to discuss with Highland Council how these could be best managed to help reduce the unsafe and irresponsible aspects of visitor behaviour we have seen in recent years.
“We are also planning to open the Hayfield itself as a temporary overflow car park on the busiest days this summer (focusing on July and August).
“But we require this to be approved under permitted development by Highland Council.”
