A Highland-based tour operator is considering cancelling trips to the Fairy Pools on Skye as road chaos leads to five-hour tailbacks.
Gordon Pearson of WOW bus tours in Tomatin says drivers and staff find it almost impossible to cope with tourist numbers at the car park due to poor roads and lack of information for visitors.
In the last week alone, he has had to fork out £1,000 for new tyres on his buses.
And on Monday he spent two hours helping “overworked” car park attendants direct traffic as countless vehicles made their way to the remote location on a single-track road.
Mr Pearson, who has been taking trips to Skye for 15 years, told The Press and Journal that no one is listening to concerns from locals and visitors about rocketing tourist numbers at the iconic site.
He added that the car park is much improved and that Outdoor Access Trust staff at the site regularly go “above and beyond” to help tourists.
But he says the situation is “utter madness”.
Mr Pearson said: “Our flagship product is our day tour to the Isle of Skye from Inverness.
“As I was driving back from Skye on Monday I saw lots of vehicles that had been behind me at the Fairy Pools meaning they must have been stuck for five hours.
“On Tuesday I drove to Skye in my pick-up just to direct traffic to ensure we can get in and out safely.
“This is a dream trip for people visiting Scotland – but it regularly turns into a nightmare.”
Mr Pearson added that the sheer volume of private and rented cars and mobile homes at the Fairy Pools is unmanageable and is having an impact on his business and staff morale.
He said: “And that does not even mention our vehicles where the damage cannot be underestimated. Last week we had to pay £1,000 for new tyres as our vehicles are being damaged on the road.
“We have been forced to cancel some trips already, and we are currently considering pulling the plug on the Fairy Pools tour, which will just make matters worse.”
While Mr Pearson has encountered problems on Skye for many years, he said: “This year things are worse than ever before. This is mainly due to the sheer volume of vehicles, in particular campervans.
“Over the last three weeks, the road to the Fairy Pools at Glenbrittle has been blocked by campervans getting stuck on a near-daily basis.
“We are very used to issues on this road, but we’ve never seen anything like this before.
“This is not only an inconvenience to our passengers, but also creates significant problems for our drivers who operate on a tachograph.”
‘No access’ for first aid emergencies
The operator also raises concerns about emergency service gaining access.
“As well as the inconvenience, in particular to those that live and work in Glenbrittle, this also means that the emergency vehicles would not be able to reach there if required,” he said.
“Having personally assisted in quite a number of first aid emergencies over the years at the Fairy Pools, including tragically a fatality, I know just how important maintaining access is.
“Considering the Fairy Pools are considered to be one of the highlights of not only Skye, but of the whole of Scotland, this is a really embarrassing state of affairs for our tourism industry.”
A Highland Council spokesperson said it was keen to welcome visitors to the area: “However, it is also appreciated that the increasing number of vehicles has led to pressures on infrastructure and traffic management in some areas, especially along our rural, single-track roads.
“Council officers are working on potential visitor management solutions and exploring funding streams to help alleviate some of these pressures which are currently being experienced in the Skye area.
“In the meantime, we ask that all visitors please follow key guidance and advice on visiting the Highlands which can be found online at www.highland.gov.uk/tourism.”
The spokesperson confirmed surfacing works for the C1237 road between Merkadale and Glenbrittle are included in this year’s capital roads programme for the Isle of Skye area.
‘The status quo is not a sustainable position’
Kate Forbes MSP who represents Skye, said she was planning a meeting to discuss the issue.
She said: “There is no doubt that this summer has proved hugely challenging for the single-track road towards the Fairy Pools, and there have been reports of the road being blocked for several hours at a time on multiple occasions due to vehicles becoming stuck on verges.
“This has created significant tailbacks, delays and general frustration. The road was never designed for the current volume of traffic.
“I am really concerned as this has a hugely detrimental impact to the daily lives of Glenbrittle residents.”
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