Our quiet town on the NC500 is being overrun by manic car rallies, they treat it like a racetrack

LOCALS living along the North Coast 500 have complained their towns have been overrun by “manic” car rallies.

A resident in Lochcarron, which sits directly on the iconic tourist route, has hit out at drivers who treat the road “like a racetrack”.

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The route, often dubbed Scotland’s answer to Route 66, is popular with car clubs and is often promoted for rallies.

One annual supercar event often sees drivers with impressive motors including Ferraris and Buggatis travel across the Highlands.

The event uses the NC500 road to travel around the area in a convoy.

Drivers load their cars into transporters which are taken to the Highlands, while they catch a flight to Inverness, where they reunite with their vehicles and hit the road.

A number of the rallies don’t cause any issues with local residents, however, some areas can quickly become “like racetracks”.

And groups heading out together can cause huge traffic buildups on the single-track roads.

NC500 is not there to be a racetrack when there are communities living alongside of it

Robin Pettigrewfrom Lochcarron

Robin Pettigrew, from Lochcarron, told The Scotsman that the roads have become “manic”.

He also said it adds further issues to the area which is already overrun with tourists in motorhomes and motorbikes.

He said: “We are now seeing a multitude of rallies and they started at least a month ago.

“Not all of them are misbehaving. Some of them are quite well supervised and if they are heading over the Bealach na Ba to Applecross, the groups tend to be split up.

“With other rallies, they are travelling at excessive speeds, sometimes two or three of them together and sometimes up to a dozen.

“There are a lot of single tracks and farm animals. NC500 is not there to be a racetrack when there are communities living alongside of it.”

Pettigrew has called for the rallies to be better supervised and licensed.

He also urged the council to add speed bumps through some of the towns and villages to protect locals.

People living on the NC500 feel disenfranchised… People feel that their home is being used and marketed and they have no say or benefit from it

Marie ToddMSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross

It comes after Applecross Community Council said that no more than two or three cars should travel together at one time on single-track roads.

They issued their advice after 16 motors were spotted speeding through Bealach na Ba where there are crumbling roads and few passing place signs.

Police have also issued a warning to drivers and urged them to respect the area and those who live in the local community.

A spokesperson for the force told The Scotsman: “We recognise that the Highlands and Islands, and particularly the NC500 road network, carry large numbers of local and visitor traffic.

“We would like to emphasise the importance respecting other road users and those who live in our communities, which can be achieved through considerate, safe and responsible driving.”

Marie Todd, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said anyone who notices any reckless behaviour on the roads should reports incidents to the police.

She said: “People living on the NC500 feel disenfranchised.

“This is an area which prides itself on hospitality, but for those not directly employed – and actually some of those who do – the benefit can feel a little bit distant.

“Really there needs to be more tangible benefits to people on the route.

“People feel that their home is being used and marketed and they have no say or benefit from it.”