Scottish Tourist Tax and Motorhomes.

Geezo, the three stooges looking to tax us to the grave, consultation taking place right now to increase council tax on homes within bands E to H. Why? Because we have worked to own what we have, now to be punished!!!

Bill, if you see a two bed bungalow around your neck of the woods for sale, let me know please. If close to you, better for you, as you will be able to claim CT reduction for us riff-raff moving close by 😂
 
Presumably there would need to be a small army of tax enforcers driving around looking for MH's in order to check they have paid their tax. The candle may not be worth the flame then.
 
GMJ said:
Presumably there would need to be a small army of tax enforcers driving around looking for MH's in order to check they have paid their tax. The candle may not be worth the flame then.
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With all the surveillance sorry cctv cameras around, they could do it that way. What a way to stop money and visitors coming to your country .
Nose face
 
So ... what about those who are visiting friends and relatives in Scotland? FWIW, we normally stop one night in Moffat CCC site on the way to our niece's about 20 miles north of Perth. However, we could easily do the extra 20 to 40 miles by stopping just south of the border the night before and not stopping at any campsites or wild camps. If we're to be taxed to visit our family, how about those to go by car, coach or train? If they're to be taxed, what about those who live in Scotland who visit other parts of Scotland? The whole things just doesn't seem to be 'joined-up thinking' IMO...
 
GeoffL said:
So ... what about those who are visiting friends and relatives in Scotland? FWIW, we normally stop one night in Moffat CCC site on the way to our niece's about 20 miles north of Perth. However, we could easily do the extra 20 to 40 miles by stopping just south of the border the night before and not stopping at any campsites or wild camps. If we're to be taxed to visit our family, how about those to go by car, coach or train? If they're to be taxed, what about those who live in Scotland who visit other parts of Scotland? The whole things just doesn't seem to be 'joined-up thinking' IMO...
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Good point as son no2 is near Dundee now.
Trouble is joined up thinking and government don't go together. And let's face it, just because its in the newspapers doesn't mean its true.
 
This is being promoted by the "Land Weeps" and "Dirty Truth" fb groups. The original suggestion from the authorities is to levy the visitor tax on accomodation providers such as hotels, B&Bs, and campsites. The aforementioned fb groups and their followers are pushing hard to make all visitors pay the levy. They are getting a lot of publicity from the media in Scotland.
 
Paying for infrastructure is important and if it falls on the local residents then they may well be concerned that they don't see any DIRECT benefits. Taxing visitors has attractions and is a regular contribution to many local economies abroad. Some offer free local transport as a way of reducing environmental effects and encouraging people to stay longer in one spot.

HOWEVER, taxing folk stopping in a layby in a campervan or wilding in a tent in a remote part of the countryside is not really feasible.

Perhaps the solution is to build a dozen toll-houses in strategic places: modern technology could make these be operated remotely with ANPR and BIG SIGNS so that no-one drives through in ignorance. I guess most would rather pay £5 to use the A9 to get to Inverness rather than go through Braemar and Tomintoul or £2 on the A82 rather than via Shiel Bridge. Similarly Brora and Ledbeg would make a good spots to charge those heading further north.

So IMO just 4 tolls could generate substantial income with very little effort. As with the Dartford Crossing, local residents could obtain cheap rates and perhaps an annual pass might be available? I would apply these tolls to all vehicles at a flat rate, so that transport companies are not penalised for providing necessary services. As ever, the devil is in the detail.

Gordon
 
These Council members & the like make me laugh. I Know there are a Minority of M/H & C/V owners that are spoiling the joy of travelling around for the rest of us by not being sensible (by leaving areas in a mess), but on our way back from lower Scotland last wk we stopped at Ullswater to look around & noticed there was a significant absence of Litter & Dog Waste bins for the public to access. We also noted people in cars dropping Rubbish in Lay Byes which would possibly be blamed on M/ Hmrs .So in my opinion these Council Folk need to get out & see the real offenders instead of sitting in their cosy Office Chairs targeting the wrong people.
 
So Wales is off the menu (20 mph limit) and soon it will be a nono to Scotland (tourist tax )and England full of height barriers what better way to boost the European tourist industry and the uk will become the Rwanda for Europe.
 
Biggarmac said:
This is being promoted by the "Land Weeps" and "Dirty Truth" fb groups. The original suggestion from the authorities is to levy the visitor tax on accomodation providers such as hotels, B&Bs, and campsites. The aforementioned fb groups and their followers are pushing hard to make all visitors pay the levy. They are getting a lot of publicity from the media in Scotland.
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Yes it appears this has been suggested by Highland council though didn't see any actual quotes from them ?
Land Weeps mob don't want any visitors .
Visitor tax is not uncommon . From what I've read it hasn't been detrimental to tourism
 
I cant see this working, EG: I head north of Inverness, pay a tax for the audacity of venturing north of Inverness, book into a campsite, part of site fee includes 20% vat, then the double whammy for being in an area within my own country!!

Fortunately I have done the Highlands to death over the years, leave it to the teuchters, far better places in Europe that welcome us, even if a tourist tax is applied.
 
Norfolk NewBoy said:
Paying for infrastructure is important and if it falls on the local residents then they may well be concerned that they don't see any DIRECT benefits. Taxing visitors has attractions and is a regular contribution to many local economies abroad. Some offer free local transport as a way of reducing environmental effects and encouraging people to stay longer in one spot.

HOWEVER, taxing folk stopping in a layby in a campervan or wilding in a tent in a remote part of the countryside is not really feasible.

Perhaps the solution is to build a dozen toll-houses in strategic places: modern technology could make these be operated remotely with ANPR and BIG SIGNS so that no-one drives through in ignorance. I guess most would rather pay £5 to use the A9 to get to Inverness rather than go through Braemar and Tomintoul or £2 on the A82 rather than via Shiel Bridge. Similarly Brora and Ledbeg would make a good spots to charge those heading further north.

So IMO just 4 tolls could generate substantial income with very little effort. As with the Dartford Crossing, local residents could obtain cheap rates and perhaps an annual pass might be available? I would apply these tolls to all vehicles at a flat rate, so that transport companies are not penalised for providing necessary services. As ever, the devil is in the detail.

Gordon
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Scottish Government abolished all road bridge tolls years ago allowing all travellers free passage over our various significant infrastructure bridges, to tax all travellers at the locations you state is a contradiction to government policy to tax road users to travel and visit, in this case Scotland.

Easy solution, and not one I agree with, reinstate bridge tolls, which is what I have pay to use Dart Crossing.
 
runnach said:
Inverness Courier.

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What a strange world we live in, a few years ago the people of west Scotland needed tourism to help with there income and the NC500 was born.
It wasn't thought through very well and they didn't have the infrastructure to support the amount of tourists.
So now they are proposing a levy, to presumably reduce the numbers.
There are two questions, firstly how are they going collect a levy and secondly will it reduce the number of tourists, if this is the case it negates the reason for the NC500, it makes you wonder.
Personally I think that although the west coast is beautiful, there is a lot more to Scotland and I wouldn't be put off going.
 
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