Western Isles plan to levy tax on motorhome visitors

[DavidG58]

As I understand it the ferries are subsidised, that should maybe only apply to residents given as a refund to their home address maybe

then all others would pay more to get there, seems fair to me , we love it there and hope we will go again, if people can find over £100 return for the ferry over plus all the fuel to get there they can find a bit more

another option would be to create more paid for off site parking and collect funds that way like Harris Trust already do

 

[mitzimad]

taking this idea to its logical conclusion when every area decides to levi a tourist tax maybe we should let the goverment run it and call it road pricing

 

[DumfriesDik]

I bet they’re looking at the Trossachs NP model. Permits.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Most MH owners would find the targeted nature of proposal unfair, rather than inappropriate. Being punished for choosing to be different gives rise to a" victim" like attitude. Being "all in it together" sounds a fairer system than " hitting the soft targets again".
Perhaps a smaller, but across the board levy on ALL visitors [ however they arrive ] is a fairer option, and as already been mentioned a model that exist throughout the world in the nature of tourist taxes , indeed in a couple of countries we have had to pay a tax to get out of the country, [ Costa Rica] for one.
Mike.

 

[CazPaul]

You will get more people visiting in estate cars with mattresses in the back or other larger vehicles not classed as motorhomes.
Or is the plan to charge everyone not just Motorhomeowners?

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[mikebeaches]

Most MH owners would find the targeted nature of proposal unfair, rather than inappropriate. Being punished for choosing to be different gives rise to a" victim" like attitude. Being "all in it together" sounds a fairer system than " hitting the soft targets again".
Perhaps a smaller, but across the board levy on ALL visitors [ however they arrive ] is a fairer option, and as already been mentioned a model that exist throughout the world in the nature of tourist taxes , indeed in a couple of countries we have had to pay a tax to get out of the country, [ Costa Rica] for one.
Mike.

Interesting. Reflecting further, the proposal appears to be specifically about motorhomes and campervans. What about folk arriving with touring caravans? Trailer tents? Tents? Are they not to be subject to a levy?

 

[georgio]

Well the French have been doing it for years on their campsites. If the Scots built more motorhome areas with facilities this could also be charged it the price and then cut back on wild campers

 

[SIFTA SAM]

Scotland already benefits from extra revenue thanks to the Barnett formula! Also known as the 'anti independence bribe'.

 

[Potty]

As I understand it the ferries are subsidised, that should maybe only apply to residents given as a refund to their home address maybe

then all others would pay more to get there, seems fair to me , we love it there and hope we will go again, if people can find over £100 return for the ferry over plus all the fuel to get there they can find a bit more

another option would be to create more paid for off site parking and collect funds that way like Harris Trust already do

The ferries are subsidised out of general taxation, ie by all of us. If there is to be tourist tax, it should apply to anyone using tourist accommodation not just motorhomes using ferries. The problem this year has been caused by the many problems with the ferry ships. Lack of regular maintenance, etc. Maybe privatising the routes would help.

 

[Geistguy]

Living in Scotland I pay Income Tax, Council Tax, Road Tax on my motorhome, VAT etc. Can someone give me a valid reason why I should pay extra to visit parts of my own country ?

Any one who thinks a "Visitor Levy" would be spent on improving facilities or roads is kidding themselves.

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[Stoosal]

Will residents of the western isles be charged for visiting parts of the mainland?. Coming over here and using our facilities without paying for them...tut.

 

[drpeej]

I think this is perfectly reasonable

 

[Otter Spotter]

How will it be collected and how will they prove the money collected has been spent on the correct services? And will I get a credit in the money I sent up to Elgol for their toilet block?

 

[TerryL]

This has been around for a few years now but circumstances (Brexit, Covid etc) as well as political will has meant things have been a bit quiet. Probably now revived because of the press interest in the "overloading" of facilities which, we have to be fair to the local councils, probably was somewhat unexpected - unexpected in that they didn't have five years notice to prepare......................

To my mind the easiest solution would be, as mentioned earlier in the thread, a concerted effort by the most affected areas to quickly introduce facilities, which only need to be basic, getting funding assistance from government sources and then charging a fair sum for their use. To stop the "mattress in an estate car" brigade, overnight parking by anyone should then be prohibited in the areas suffering the most impact. Before the "freedom to wildcamp" supporters jump in, it's also been pointed out earlier that wildcamping does NOT apply to the use of motor vehicles.

There does seem to be some movement in private individuals trying to set up facilities but my fear is that those facilities will involve things like EHU, toilet/shower blocks etc, things that are more suitable to (more expensive) full campsites. I fully accept that some folk need this stuff so no doubt there is a market there.

Sadly I think we may have seen the best but it is encouraging to read posts that show places can still be found.

 

[Rapido925M]

We noticed that lots of road improvements and port facilities in the Western Islands carried signs saying “Supported by (some) EU project” aimed at “levelling up” remote areas. Given that Johnson promised to replace such funding and that levelling up is a key proposal, I think central government will be happy to cover all these costs.

Gordon

(Yes, I know central government means us, the tax payers )

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[DelMar]

I think it is inevitable with shortage of money by local authorities in tourist areas and overrun by tourists, they will look for ways to increase revenue via a tourist tax. This would help to maintain the infrastructure and perhaps help to improve amenities at the same time. I don’t hear anyone grumble about paying it every time they go abroad.

 

[grumps147]

Well, a lot of Europe has a tourist tax……

Yup...
Edit.. removed link to article as when clicked on it said blocked. Most are not targeted solely at motorhomes, everyone pays. And no, I have no idea how they determine if you are a tourist, but in most cases it's pretty obvious.

 

[Stoosal]

I think it is inevitable with shortage of money by local authorities in tourist areas and overrun by tourists, they will look for ways to increase revenue via a tourist tax. This would help to maintain the infrastructure and perhaps help to improve amenities at the same time. I don’t hear anyone grumble about paying it every time they go abroad.

Paying to be a tourist in your own country.....?

Will this mean that people who live on the western isles have to pay if they leave to be a tourist on the mainland? It’s a vicious circle if that starts to happen at a time when money is already tight. Shouldn’t have to pay in your own country, I already pay taxes etc for this countries infrastructure.

 

[grumps147]

It looks to be difficult for most people including a countries residents to avoid paying a tourist tax. One useful exemption for some in some countries is the disabilit/carer exemption, though you have to conform to their rules for what is and isn’t and how you present your exemption case. https://www.interrailingpackages.com/european-tourist-tax-explained/

 

[nicholsong]

Sounds reasonable to me. Many motorhomers etc stock up at supermarkets on the mainland and wildcamp as much as possible. Their contributions to the local economies are likely to be relatively low and some of that will be taken up by the greater impact on local facilities.

It is perhaps not unreasonable for those who have an impact to contribute in return.

We just spent the whole 6 days holiday parked in one place but used no facilities, except in restaurants but the cost of that would be paid from our spend and the restaurant taxes.

Therefore we used nothing for which we needed to contribute and any charge would be just a tax not a contribution for anything.

I think self-sufficiency should not be taxed.

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[Coolcats]

We were on Harris, Lewis earlier this year. Other than Stornaway there wasn’t really anywhere to buy food etc. This isn’t either a fault of the tourist or a fault of the locals. If there is nothing to buy tourists cannot spend. We tried in vain to find restaurants to eat in on Harris. We did find one at Uig Sands on Lewis (very nice) but I did spend well over £300 in the Harris Tweed shop.

Long may the ‘natural’ way of life be rather than turn Harris into another Disney park as the Lake District has become. In case your wondering a couple of years back an uncle who was born on Harris was discussing about a Croft with a neighbour who as a gesture gave my uncle a bag which contained a couple of freshly caught crabs. The old ways still work on Harris do you really want restaurants and me to outlets designed for tourists if people do then the whole reason for visiting the isles are diminished.

Harris tweed jumpers etc are as itchy as heck.

 

[Miggs]

There's already a crippling motorhome tax to visit the western isles.
It's called Caledonian MacBrayne!

 

[DelMar]

You can nit pick whatever you like, but a tourist is a visitor to an area, who doesn’t live there. If you can afford to visit a tourist area and use their infrastructure and want them to survive, why not pay a nominal sum as we do abroad. When on a camp site in France for example, you pay an added tourist tax and don’t even notice it.
There is a call in this country by motorhome owners for aires to be provided. Who will pay for them? people local to the area or the people who want them provided, via a tourist tax. We cannot have everything we want for free.
Camp site visitors, hotel visitors, guest house visitors and cottage lets would all pay.

 

[Miggs]

Just done a comparison quote for Ullapool to Stornaway return with my motorhome and my car.
Motorhome @ 7.5m = £319.80
Car @ 5m = £152.50.

Motorhome is 50% longer than my car.
Fare is 108% more.

We are already penalised over and above other visitors. They should use that excessive punitive increase in fares to subsidise facilities.

 

[buttons]

You will get more people visiting in estate cars with mattresses in the back or other larger vehicles not classed as motorhomes.
Or is the plan to charge everyone not just Motorhomeowners?

Maybe just those with cooking facilities on board like they do on the south coast of England.

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[PP Bear]

Just done a comparison quote for Ullapool to Stornaway return with my motorhome and my car.
Motorhome @ 7.5m = £319.80
Car @ 5m = £152.50.

Motorhome is 50% longer than my car.
Fare is 108% more.

We are already penalised over and above other visitors. They should use that excessive punitive increase in fares to subsidise facilities.

When you look at it that way, then it’s defo unfair.

Pay for 2 cars at 10m and still save some for fuel.

 

[fat haggis]

Scotland already benefits from extra revenue thanks to the Barnett formula! Also known as the 'anti independence bribe'.

Now that’s just bullshit. Prove it. Scotland receive less they they contribute. 󠁧

 

[nicholsong]

In this proposal how would they charge Continental MHs as they do not have 'Body type - motor caravan' on their registration documents?

Will they tax per vehicle or per person?

Will they tax tents wildcamping? They are more likely to use public facilities than self-sufficient MHs.

Even European countries do not tax widcamping/aires.

Lots of pitfalls inconsistencies to overcome.

 

[DelMar]

Of course there are pitfalls that have to be ironed.out with something new. As for motorhomes subsidising others is nonsense, all carriers charge motorhome a lot of money, they are large vehicles not only in length but also height.

 

[Miggs]

they are large vehicles not only in length but also height.

So it's ok to charge us for occupying the thin air above the vehicle?

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