Scottish Conservatives have raised concerns about proposed parking charges at a Highland Perthshire woodland, which could begin in January.
Murdo Fraser MSP and Councillor John Duff have written a joint letter to Forestry Land and Scotland (FLS) after being contacted by constituents on the proposal to charge £2 an hour, £3 per day or £50 for an annual charge at Faskally Woods. The local residents have said they read a notice about the parking charges which has been posted in the woods.
Commenting, Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, said: “Councillor Duff and myself have written a joint letter to Forestry Land and Scotland to raise our concerns about these proposed parking charges at Faskally Woods. Constituents have told us there was not any information on the Forestry Land and Scotland website, nor any further information about annual charges, and they said the first time they had heard about the proposed charge was reading a notice in the woods.
“If this proposed move goes ahead it will affect many local residents - many of whom are dog owners - who use Faskally Woods on a daily basis. Some constituents could be deterred from using the woods if parking charges are introduced. Friends of Faskally have told us that Pitlochry and Moulin Community Council were notified of the parking charges in November.
“Councillor Duff and I are concerned at the short time-scale involved.”
Mr Fraser continued: “Many of the people who use Faskally Woods are elderly residents, some of whom use the woods to walk their dogs twice a day, and they have told us they will find it extremely difficult to continue doing this if parking charges are introduced. Other residents have said the parking charges may also affect the Saturday Park Run, which takes place in the woods.
“We have asked Forestry Land and Scotland to look at our concerns and think again about the proposed parking charges.”
And Councillor Duff, who represents the Highland Ward for the Scottish Conservatives, added: “This decision by Forestry and Land Scotland to impose parking charges for these woods without consultation will impact disproportionately on local residents, especially our pensioners, many of whom take a daily walk in and around Faskally Woods. A weekly charge of £15-£20 for parking will be prohibitive, especially in the current financial climate, and will result in many local people having to forego their enjoyment of a regular walk in these woods or dog walkers taking their pets elsewhere for exercise.
“At a time when we should be encouraging our communities to get out into the fresh air and take exercise for the benefit of their health and wellbeing, Forestry and Land Scotland’s decision is a retrograde step and I call upon their management team to look again at this matter. The people of Pitlochry enjoy having Faskally Wood on their doorstep and implementing parking charges will have a significant impact on residents mostly.”
