The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has sent a letter to the Chief Executive of Cairngorm Mountain Limited (CML), highlighting concerns relating to parking charges at Coire Cas.
The MCofS has three concerns which relate to the current voluntary parking scheme, the use of voluntary donations, and the potential imposition of mandatory charging.
The MCofS believes that the current voluntary donation scheme trial is inadequately signposted and that, as a result, visitors may be unaware that the scheme is in operation. The MCofS is therefore urging CML to improve signage to avoid the possibility that the voluntary donation scheme system will fail due to lack of public awareness.
The MCofS is concerned that the income from voluntary car parking donations will be used solely for CML general maintenance and running costs, as opposed to being applied to environmental work in the National Park. The MCofS believes that car park maintenance and snow clearance of the access road are essential for the viability of CML’s skiing, general tourism and funicular business and that these are therefore essential operational costs.
Given the long tradition of free parking at Coire Cas for climbers and hill walkers, the MCofS is fundamentally opposed to the imposition of mandatory car parking charges and believe that such charges would constitute a charge for access.
The MCofS believes that these issues are relevant to all those who enjoy walking and climbing in the northern Cairngorms and has asked CML to respond to its concerns.