Campervan visitors to Highlands and NC500 could make 'contribution'
Read more
'But the question that Highland Council are currently developing is around a visitor levy. And I think that whilst there are no plans to introduce a campervan tax, no plans, I am engaging very closely with Highland Council to make sure that any plans they progress with in and around tourism and reinvesting funding to reduce congestion takes into account all the different ways that people travel rather than just hitting the accommodation providers - so it's important that Highland Council have the ability to reinvest resources into reducing congestion and can do that through a multifaceted approach.'
Ms Forbes, who is MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and also Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, added: 'There are only five roads in and out of the Highlands, so it can't be that difficult to figure out who is travelling in, who is travelling out, and how you can work with people at that point to look at whether a financial contribution can be made.'
Asked if this could be along the lines of someone using a campervan making a similar contribution to that if they were staying at a hotel, in broad terms, Ms Forbes replied: 'Well, Highland Council piloted an approach last year, and it was a discretionary approach to see what would work, and it was a membership approach. And actually, I had a meeting with Highland Council this morning about it, about how they can build on that so that when a campervan turns up in the Highlands, they actually want to have good facilities as well, so there's an advantage to them as well as to the council to then reinvest, and so they're looking at different models, but this is all about a very local approach because - just to reiterate - the Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a campervan tax.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Police lock down Scots country park and beach ahead of Donald Trump's arrival
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOLIDAYMAKERS have been ordered to leave a country park boasting one of Scotland's best beaches as police prepared for Donald Trump's visit to his nearby golf course. Visitors were told to vacate the beauty spot as security is beefed up ahead of US president's trip to his neighbouring Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire tomorrow. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 President Trump will travel to his Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire after visiting his Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble 4 Visitors to the award-winning Balmedie beach in Aberdeenshire have been ordered out Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News 4 Holidaymakers were forced to go to make way for a massive security operation Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News 4 Police are patrolling the beach with borders the US president's Menie Estate Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News Officers locked down Balmedie Country Park and its coastal stretch — which has won 20 awards for the quality of its sand and water. Locals have vowed to protest after the Scottish Government announced a tournament held at his Trump International resort is being given £180,000 of taxpayers' cash. An onlooker said: 'Police were shutting off the beach and the park. 'It's one of the country's best and we're in the middle of the school holidays. 'Trump doesn't own it so it feels ridiculous that people who live here are being told to leave. "Loads of people were told to go. 'Is it any wonder most people around here hate him so much?' Balmedie Country Park has miles of sandy beaches and dunes and is popular all year with tourists and locals. Only a flimsy waist-high wooden fence separates it from the US president's 1,400 acres of land. Police had warned roads and the park would be shut in advance while a massive security operation gets underway ahead of Mr Trump's arrival. British Army soldiers, snipers, US Secret Service agents and cops were spotted in huge numbers over the weekend as he visited his Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire with similar scenes expected. US and EU agree landmark trade deal after months of talks, Donald Trump says The Republican chief will open a new 18-hole course there named after his late Scottish mum Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis. Neighbours have vowed to protest the plans and the announcement that public cash will be handed over for the Nexo Championship being held at the resort next month. Activist Alena Ivanova, organiser of Stop Trump Scotland, says the demo will be a "festival of resistance". She added: 'This message is to Donald Trump but also our elected leaders preparing to meet him — there is no place for Trumpism in Scotland. 'In the vicinity of the golf course people will be making noise and using creative props to bring the message as close to home as possible that Donald Trump is not welcome here.' Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: 'A policing plan is in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption. 'We are working with transport planning partners, including local authorities, on temporary road closures. 'We understand a visit of this scale and the significant policing operation required can cause some disruption, and we are thankful to communities for their patience and understanding.' We told how a protester was arrested and given a recorded police warning on Friday for "abusive behaviour and refusing to stop" at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire where the American leader's Air Force One jet landed. Trump today met with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at his nearby Turnberry golf course where they they agreed fresh trade terms. He set US tariffs on goods at 15 percent and announcedthe EU will spend nearly £500billion in American investments and buy more than £100bn in energy and purchase military equipment. Mr Trump called it a "good deal for everybody" while Ms von der Leyen called it "huge" and revealed there had been "tough negotiations". He will also meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and First Minister John Swinney before the end of his five-day trip.
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Protesters to slam SNP's £180,000 cash award to Trump golf course
A 'festival of resistance' is set to be held near [[Donald Trump]]'s Aberdeenshire golf course on Monday afternoon. The protest at The White Horse Inn, Balmedie, Aberdeen, is close to the Trump International Scotland golf resort and organisers said they object to the Scottish Government giving it £180,000 in public cash for the Nexo Championship next month. READ MORE: America reacts to The National's viral front page Organiser of Stop Trump Scotland, Alena Ivanova, said: 'As Donald Trump is expected to arrive at his Aberdeenshire golf course, residents and protesters are gathering in Balmedie from 3pm to continue the festival of resistance. 'This message is to Donald Trump but also our elected leaders preparing to meet him: there is no place for Trumpism in Scotland. 'They need to stand up to him instead of kowtowing to this bully – including by handing over hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer money for a golf tournament hosted at Trump International even while he attempts to bully us with tariffs. 'In the vicinity of the golf course people will be making noise and using creative props to bring the message as close to home as possible – Donald Trump is not welcome here.' John Swinney's announcement over the weekend that Trump's golf resort would get thousands from public coffers was met with fury by opponents. READ MORE: Donald Trump meets EU head Ursula Von Leyden Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie said: 'This shames Scotland. It's an embarrassing attempt to please a bully and shows the same craven attitude as [[Keir Starmer]]. We should be standing in solidarity with the people on the receiving end of [[Donald Trump]]'s regime. "John Swinney had a choice to make. He could have stood up for the values of democracy and human rights. But instead he folded at the first test and used hundreds of thousands of pounds of our money to appease a far right billionaire fraudster.'
STV News
10 hours ago
- STV News
Publicly-funded museums body criticises EHRC proposals
A publicly-funded body representing museums in Scotland criticised Equality and Human Rights Commission proposals and warned 'an environment of suspicion and policing of gender' already existed at some heritage sites. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) closed a consultation on proposed changes to statutory guidance last month, following the Supreme Court ruling in April that 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex, and a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person's sex for the purposes of the act. An interim update from the EHRC, published in May, said that 'trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women's facilities and trans men (biological women) should not be permitted to use the men's facilities, as this will mean that they are no longer single-sex facilities'. However a response from Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS), which supports around 455 non-national museums and is funded by the Scottish Government, said EHRC's proposals may 'force some museums to close', or 'risk leaving trans people with no facilities at all' if changes could not be made. It urged the UK-wide watchdog to 'understand the impacts and needs of trans individuals and organisations committed to trans inclusion'. A consultation response from Museums Galleries Scotland said: 'We have concerns that the content and process of the EHRC Code of Practice does not uphold the spirit of inclusion. 'There is no guidance on how to include trans people, there is only information on how to exclude them. This has not made sufficient effort to offer advice to organisations who wish to remain or become trans inclusive.' It warned that due to 'lack of clarity' from EHRC, 'there is a significant potential that human rights of trans people will be impacted for example, being banned from toilets that align with lived gender', and also raised concerns about the responsibilities of front-of-house staff. The response said: 'When there is a need to 'prove' your sex, what proof will be acceptable given gender recognition certificates are not, nor are altered birth certificates. It is likely this role would fall on front-of-house staff, which we believe puts undue pressure on them.' It added: 'To avoid discrimination, it would require every person using toilets to be checked, adding substantial workload and staff costs. 'The guidance implies that to allow trans people to use toilets that fit their identity would put organisations at risk of legal consequences. Yet, to not check everyone could lead to individuals in museums taking decisions to exclude trans people based on subjective tests, related largely to appearance.' It warned this could 'potentially put trans and non-trans people in humiliating and offensive situations', and that some museums may be forced to close 'while they invest time and resources to ensure adequate facilities', and if changes could not be made 'this risks trans people having no facilities to use at all'. The response said it was aware of the public 'policing toilets at heritage sites by making assumptions based on stereotypes', and said this created an 'environment of suspicion and policing of everyone's gender presentation, and increases the risks of harassment, distress, and offence'. It added: 'For some museums, they may need to change their toilet facilities to avoid the higher risk of legal consequences, however, there is unlikely to be capacity or resource for many of them to do this, putting them in a difficult position.' The response concluded: 'We strongly encourage the EHRC to review their processes around this guidance and take the necessary time to understand the impacts and needs of trans individuals and organisations committed to trans inclusion.' Scottish Conservative shadow equalities minister Tess White MSP said: 'Museums Scotland seem to be following the Scottish Government in their mistaken bid to avoid implementing the Supreme Court's verdict. The judgment from the UK's highest court was crystal clear. 'By criticising the EHRC's guidance, Museums Scotland are flouting the law, putting women and girls in danger and laying themselves open to legal challenge. There is no excuse for evasion on this issue. 'Instead of trying to pander to the gender extremists, John Swinney must act now and order all public bodies immediately to comply with the law and provide single-sex spaces.' The Scottish Government, EHRC, Sex Matters, and Scottish Labour and have been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
