ARGYLL and Bute Council has scrapped a controversial proposal to reopen its car parks across the Helensburgh and Lomond area this weekend.
The local authority had told the Advertiser it was planning to open car parks at Duck Bay, Luss and Arrochar, and at Kidston Park in Helensburgh, to cope with an expected increase in visitor numbers as lockdown restrictions are eased across Scotland from Friday - subject to guidance from the First Minister.
And after Nicola Sturgeon gave more detail on how she expects the easing of limits to be handled, the council now says all four car parks will remain shut.
In response to a question from a journalist after Thursday lunchtime's briefing, Ms Sturgeon said it was her expectation that car parks and other visitor facilities in the country's National Parks should remain closed.
She told the media, and the public watching the televised press conference, that people should not be travelling long distances, and should be avoiding popular beauty spots and crowded places, adding that "crowds bring more risk than we judge is acceptable or safe at this point".
Several hours later, in a statement published on the council's website just after 6pm on Thursday, and its Facebook page half an hour later, the authority said: "The Scottish Government has announced they are entering phase one as lockdown restrictions start to ease.
"Following national guidance, our car parks at Luss, Duck Bay, Arrochar and Kidston Park in Helensburgh will remain closed.
READ MORE: Scotland's lockdown is eased: six things you can and can't do as 'phase one' begins
"Whilst some restrictions have been lifted including access to outdoor recreation, the guidance remains clear: stay home as much as possible; do not travel more than five miles from your local area; keep a two-metre distance from people; avoid beauty and tourist hot spots; and if it looks too busy, it is too busy – go somewhere else."
The council's plan to reopen its car parks was communicated to elected councillors on Tuesday – sparking a furious response from Lomond North councillor George Freeman, whose ward includes Duck Bay, Luss and Arrochar.
Councillor Freeman said that reopening the parking areas – a decision the Advertiser understands was taken on road safety grounds, amid concern that visitor numbers could overwhelm the small village streets of Luss in particular – would put people living in those areas at increased risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Separately, the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority has announced that all of its visitor facilities – including car parks – will remain closed despite the easing of lockdown limits.
The park authority's chief executive, Gordon Watson, says the area is "not ready, nor is the time right, for large numbers of visitors to arrive at popular places, many right on the doorstep of small rural communities".
The Duck Bay, Luss and Arrochar car parks have been closed since before Easter to discourage people from visiting the area.
The Kidston car park at the west end of the Helensburgh seafront was shut on April 24 at the request of local police.
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