Walker’s and climbers’s organisation, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has responded with concern at the plans for parking charges at Cairngorm. Cairngorm Mountain which manages the funicular railway and ski centre is planning to introduce voluntary car parking charges for the Coire Cas car park by the end of August with the longer term plan likely to involve compulsory charging. Cairngorm Mountain says that the voluntary charges will go towards the maintenance of paths, the car park and other facilities. The MCofS says that it would find the introduction of compulsory charges without additional or enhanced facilities “unacceptable”.
In response, the MCofS has issued a statement saying, “Firstly, we have no objection to the voluntary donation scheme if indeed it is to go towards path and environmental management. In fact if this is what it is going to be spent on it fits with the work we do on encouraging mountaineering in a minimal impact way as in our recently released booklet and online resource Minimal Impact Mountaineering Advice. In fact it gives the opportunity for people to contribute.
“Of course this all hinges on what the money will actually be spent on. The statement says takings will be used for ‘reinvestment in footpaths, environmental projects, car parks and facilities.’ We have concerns that ‘facilities’ is a catch-all and this would need to be broken down for the required transparency. The MCofS does not object to Cairngorm Mountain (CM) asking for voluntary contributions as long as the money does go into footpath and environmental work. There needs to be rigorous transparent accounting for where the money is spent with a full audit. This is essential as the trial is to be the basis of decisions about potential compulsory charging.
“The Mountaineering Council of Scotland has concerns about what will happen after the 2 year trial. The perception of a compulsory charge may be a difficult ‘sell’ to users, especially as often there is no viable alternative. The public bus service is infrequent outside of funicular running times, and this is exactly the time when people might be returning after a long hard day tired, wet and cold and waiting outside for a bus that might not be due for an hour would be uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. There are also reports of the bus service being unreliable even when it is scheduled. Car park users, only some of whom are mountaineers, are used to not paying and there are liable to be a lot who would ask why a charge has been introduced if there are no new facilities. It would be up to CM to justify this. Currently our agreed Position Statement, consulted on with membership 2 years ago, is that an introduction of compulsory charges for nothing new is not something we would likely find acceptable. This was reflective of thinking 2 years ago, but at the end of the trial period we would look very closely at the audit of where the money was spent and listen to the views of mountaineers.”
Cairngorm Mountain will start the voluntary charging at the end of August this year and will then review the situation in two years time with a view to considering compulsory charges.