Highland beauty spot car parks closed due to coronavirus; 'We all have an important role to play in slowing the spread of coronavirus'
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Highland Council has closed car parks at beauty spots – many along the NC500 – tightening the lockdown against potential visitors.
The local authority is calling on everyone to heed government advice discouraging travel to help limit the spread of Covid-19.
In total, 15 car parks near tourist hotspots or attractions under council control will be closed before the Easter weekend.
They will remain shut until further notice.
The aim is to discourage people from travelling to scenic areas.
The local authority underlined that it is not blocking access rights to the countryside but it is within its rights to close car parks that it owns.
The closures could be backed up by police action as Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent George Macdonald warned officers are willing to take action as a last resort.
Similar action was also taken by Argyll and Bute Council.
The car parks to close are:
- Achmelvich, Beach Car Park
- Assynt – Inchnadamph Hotel Car Park
- Clachtoll Beach Car Park
- Duncansby Head Car Park
- Dunnet Head Car Park
- Dunnet Seadrift Car Park
- Dunvegan, Coral Beach Car Park
- Durness – Sango Beach Car Park
- Durness, Smoo Cave Car Park
- Little Gruinard Beach Car Park
- Noss Head Car Park, Wick
- Quirang Car Park, Skye
- Reiss Beach Car Park, Wick
- Staffin, Kilt Rock Car Park
- Storr Car Park, Skye
This list of car parks will be kept under review, to determine whether particular car parks can be re-opened, or whether further car park closures will be put in place.
Council convener Bill Lobban said: “We all have an important role to play in slowing the spread of coronavirus and it is good to see people taking this very seriously and adhering to the national guidance.
“We are very fortunate in the Highlands to have wide open spaces and natural beauty, and while it is important to get time outdoors and maintain our physical and mental health, we must ensure we follow the social distancing guidelines and do not put any additional pressure on the NHS at this time.
“While we would normally welcome tourists and visitors to the Highlands including local Highland day-visitors, I would appeal to you for now to remain at home and stay safe and we will welcome you back in the future when it is safe to do so.
"The beauty spots will still be there when this is all over.”
Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent George Macdonald said: “The legal instructions on not leaving your home without a reasonable excuse apply to everyone and individuals must not make personal exemptions bespoke to their own circumstances. With the Easter weekend approaching, I appreciate this will be more frustrating than ever however effective social distancing is essential to protect each other, support key workers, take strain from the NHS and save lives
“Wherever our officers encounter people outside, we will engage with them if necessary to establish their circumstances, explain the guidance and encourage them to comply with it if they are doing something that is putting others at risk.
“Only as a very last resort will enforcement action be used where people continue to defy the clear advice being given. Stay home this Easter weekend, protect the NHS and save lives.”
NHS Highland’s director of public health Dr Ken Oates supported the medical case for not visiting these areas no matter how appealing, saying: “We are currently in a situation that has never been experienced before and for the first time we are making a plea for you to stay away.
“National advice is quite clear that we, as a nation, need to stay at home, self-isolate and stop all non-essential travel. Our health and social care staff are also doing everything in their power to protect our patients and our local communities to ensure we are ready for what the next few weeks could bring.
“I would ask everyone to protect those in your communities who are most vulnerable; by complying with these measures you can help save lives. Please stay at home.”
Related: Airbnb u-turn over bookings as 'stay away' message hammered home
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