SCOTS conservationists have set out an action plan to stop outdoor toileting in one of the world’s great beauty spots saying that the “shocking” problem has increased four-fold in two years.
The Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs, suggest that people were toileting not just in countryside locations, but in towns and villages like Luss and Calendar and even in people’s front gardens.
They have suggested that there is a campaign to curb the human waste nuisance including removing scrub vegetation at laybys and viewpoints believing it is acting as a shield for those who want to spend a penny outdoors.
And they say that a dramatic drop in the number of public toilets, with a rise in staycationers is partly to blame for the rise in answering the call of nature outdoors.
Data provided by local authorities in 2019 showed that there were 724 council-run public toilets around Scotland – 185 fewer than in 2013.
It led to new concerns that councils, which are not legally required to provide toilets, are increasingly looking to offload the responsibility for them or close them to cut costs.
The Friends are now pushing for more fences on laybys to prevent people from getting into bushes to do the toilet.
And they want better advance services signs erected to direct people to those toilets that are available.
Going to the loo al fresco can lead to public health problems and pollution of water courses, as well as having a nasty visual impact.
“It is a very serious issue,” said Friends chairman James Fraser. “The A82, especially is one of Scotland’s busiest outdoor toilets.
“The stench and mess was horrendous in quite a number of lay-bys north of Balloch.
“We have got a particular concentration at Loch Lomond, but it is prevalent in other parts of the country as well post-lockdown.”
The group have been carrying out weekly monitoring exercises to give them an idea about the extent of issues with litter, fly-tipping and outdoor toileting.
“The problem is that people are not going abroad and there is an increase of people coming to Scotland.
“But of course in the past 25 to 30 years there has been a massive reduction in the number of public toilets as local authorities’ budgets come under pressure in rural Scotland in particular. And that has come home to roost now, big time.”
The plan come as the Friends launched a concerted move to tackle what they called Loch Lomond’s “litter shame” by introducing a pilot litter bin scheme in twenty laybys beside the A82 on Loch Lomondside over the summer months.
They say the installation and regular emptying of the bins is making a big improvement along what was, until recently, regularly a litter strewn corridor in what is one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions.
Sir Malcolm Colquhoun, chairman of the Luss Estates Company as well ashonorary president of the Friends said: ‘’I greatly admire the determination of the Friends Trustees all of whom are all volunteers in helping to address the pressing litter situation on Loch Lomondside which, in recent years, has sadly deteriorated greatly with a sea of discarded human waste on roadsides, in laybys, on the loch shore and the bushes. This is utterly unacceptable in such an iconic scenic location where we should be a showcase for all the best Scotland has to offer.
Beside one of the large pilot litter bins are (left to right) John Urquhart, vice chairman of the Friends, Jackie Baillie MSP and Sir Malcolm Colquhoun of the Luss Estates Company and honorary president of the Friends
“This latest initiative is a welcome step forward but much more needs to be done as litter affects us all in an age when environmental concerns are to the fore. We should deal with this by confronting the culture that encourages and tolerates litter and particularly by ensuring the tax-funded public agencies whose job it is to look after the public infrastructure and the special Loch Lomond environment do so to a far higher standard with priority being given to tackling the basics such as litter in a much more effective and comprehensive way.”
Calls have also been made for countryside rangers to patrol beauty spots following a surge in ‘dirty camping’ and staycations.
The Scottish Countryside Rangers Association welcomed a spike in tourists during the pandemic – but said more rangers are needed to manage growing visitor numbers.
They said extra posts must be created and young people encouraged to join the profession to help patrol sites and educate visitors on caring for the environment.
They said funding cuts at local authorities and national parks have resulted in around 35 percent of such positions being scrapped in the past few years.
George Potts, chairman of the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association, said: “We welcome the upsurge in interest in our beautiful country but that has to be managed by rangers on the ground.”
Rangers said a surge in people trying camping or hill-walking for the first time means greater investment is urgently needed to avoid permanent damage to the countryside.
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