Campsites in Highlands could take profit hit

Campsite owners in the Scottish Highlands could find their profits dip after a vote to remove all the region’s ‘no overnight parking’ signs.

The signs, introduced in the 1990s, were designed to encourage motorists who needed to sleep to use one of the area’s caravan parks.

However, their useage was challenged by remote sleeper Andy Strangeaway, who argued that motorists should be allowed to pull over and sleep in lay-bys if they want.

Strangeaway, from East Yorkshire, has slept on at least 162 of Scotland’s islands and lobbied Highland councillors for a year to have the signs removed.

The Highland Council's Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee subsequently agreed that they should be taken down.

Transport Scotland said that regulations had changed since the signs were originally put up, with a spokesperson commenting: ‘The signs concerned pre-date Transport Scotland and, following a review, we have instructed our operating companies to remove them.’

Plans to remove the signs are already underway.