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Closed petition PE2089: Stop More National Parks in Scotland.
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to:
- Suspend any action to create further National Parks in Scotland.
- Instruct an independent review on the operation of the current National Parks, including assessment of the economic impacts on businesses & industries within the two parks including, but not exclusive to, farming, forestry, crofting and angling.
- Conduct a consultation with representatives of rural businesses & Community Councils in order to help to frame the remit of said independent review.
Background information
Using the two existing National Parks (NPs) in Scotland as examples:
Over 10 years each new NP will cost the Scottish taxpayer £130m. Inappropriate use of money when public finances are weak. The new NP, will be bureaucratic, employing 100+ people, with a paid board of approximately 20, mostly unelected, directors.
The NP will not help with the major issues that already exist in rural Scotland, i.e. roads, medical services, schools needing urgent investment. In areas such as Skye & Lochaber, Small & Western Isles, there is already over-tourism in the summer period and poor road & ferry networks. A NP will only make this problem worse. The Scottish Government requires the local communities to be keen to have a new National Park in their region. It is felt locally that fewer than 10% of local people near Lochaber are engaged. At public meetings, radio phone ins, the response to press articles, & social media engagement the vast majority of people are not in favour of another National Park in Scotland.
This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament
3,826 signatures