As many of you will be aware the Park Authority introduced new Bylaws in 2011 to combat anti-social camping on the East side of Loch Lomond. The authority is hailing this a success and wishes to significantly extend the concept across huge areas well beyond Loch Lomond itself:
In the Future
Whilst this will result in a significant increase in camping provision across the whole park area, some people may be concerned at the loss of the rights to wild camp (as an ancillary activity to non motorised access to most land) that was enshrined in the Land Reform Act 2003.
As has happened with the East of the Loch project displacement outside the controlled areas may be expected, rather than addressing the behaviour, or indeed the mistaken understanding that antisocial camping or the other issues highlighted are in someway not manageable (i.e. preventable) within the existing legislative infrastructure. Introducing new legislation before new facilities that could be voluntarily adopted might be seen by some as unnecessarily restrictive, across a massive area, although undoubtedly there is a problem that needs tackled and which is spreading since displacement from the East of the Loch.
There is a formal consultation process:
Have your say
The consultation is open to anyone, and I know there are a number of visitors from further afield on here who use the park who may have views either positive or negative about the proposals.
If you have a view one way or the other - share it using the above link rather than here.
