IT is an almost surreal landscape of grassy, cone-shaped hills that has attracted increasing numbers of tourists.
But the influx of visitors has locals at “breaking point” with many complaining of being marooned in their homes by the sheer volume of traffic.
Now, however, the Fairy Glen on the Isle of Skye will soon see a new
car park, turning area and passing places to help cope with the flood of visitors, Highland Council has confirmed in a letter to constituency MSP Kate Forbes.
Following concerns from locals about congestion near the ferry port of Uig in the north of the island, the Skye MSP convened a joint meeting last summer to address the problem, and over the past several months representatives from the Highland Council, Scottish Government and the local community have been working in partnership to move things forward.
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It is hoped by the end of April there will be a new 36-space car park, with a further 20 spaces on the roadside, a turning area to allow vehicles to turn without travelling the full length of the Sheader Road – the main route to the Fairy Glen – passing place signs and additional road widening.
Local councillors had already agreed to fund three passing places on the Sheader Road, which will also help.
The glen is popular for its mystical landscape with a ruined castle, conical hills and a loch.
Ms Forbes said: “This is an important step forward after a lot of hard work by the community, local council officials and others.
“Last summer, the community were at breaking point after another busy season which meant they couldn’t leave home for the sheer volume of traffic.
“Obviously the critical thing is now to deliver all of these commitments as quickly as possible, but it’s good to see meaningful progress.”
Yhe enchanting landscape of the Fairy Glen
Gordon Willoughby, who lives near the Fairy Glen, added: “After a three-year struggle to rectify the lack of infrastructure in the Fairy Glen I am relieved to see work is now to go ahead with completion planned to be ahead of this year’s tourist season.
“Although the agreed works are
not perhaps the best solution for residents, they should go a long way to improving the situation for both visitors and residents.
“I am very grateful to Kate and her team for all the help and support we have received.
“If gridlocks do continue after all current works are completed, I would hope further improvements would be considered.”
Skye councillor John Finlayson said: “It is encouraging to see positive solutions being planned at the Fairy Glen as a result of partnership working between our MSP, local residents, the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division and the Highland Council.
“Hopefully this collaborative approach which we have seen working in other parts of Skye, will continue to be the model for the many improvements we all wish to see happen.”
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His fellow ward councillor, John Gordon, added: “This is another great partnership project regarding the infrastructure issues we face around the Island.
“It is a very popular place, and knowing the issues faced by residents and how they have worked well together to find help and solutions to congestion in the glen, this is a step forward for them and will ease some of the pressure they face.”
Skye attracts more than 500,000 tourists a year who come to explore its dramatic mountain peaks and stunning island vistas.
Tourists have flocked to the island
The island is second only to Edinburgh in the number of visitors that it draws in each year.
But tourism has also brought major problems to the island, with a massive surge in the number of visitors over the last five years piling pressure on the island’s infrastructure and eroding its natural beauty.
Last year other top tourist sites on Skye were earmarked £300,000 to help ease parking problems.
The Fairy Pools will receive £200,000 in from the Highland Leader programme while £100,000 of Scottish Government funds were announced for the Quiraing.
The cash is going towards car parks at both sites after high tourist traffic in summer caused tailbacks and parking problems.
At the Fairy Pools, a series of waterfalls and pools in Glen Brittle which attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year, plans are in place to expand the existing 35-space car park to take 100 cars and around 20 mini-buses.
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