VISITORS to a scenic spot in the Lammermuir Hills have been banned from parking in a long-established car park.

Scottish Water, which previously allowed visitors to Hopes Reservoir to park at its car park, has now painted yellow lines banning vehicles from stopping there.

The move is the latest step in a long-running saga which began four years ago, when the owners of Hopes Estate closed its car park to the public in order to complete construction works.

Visitor numbers to the Lammermuirs during the Covid-19 pandemic increased, which, according to the owners of the Hopes Estate, left them having to clean up human faeces and deal with anti-social behaviour and parking problems.

A gated car park, which required a monthly £5 permit to use, was created, sparking a wave of protest.

READ MORE: Private car park at Hopes Estate 'regretfully' approved

However, the informal car park beside Scottish Water’s filter house remained a free-to-use space to park vehicles.

But now that has changed and a spokesperson for the national body said: “The decision is primarily a result of operational concerns, although Scottish Water has also been made aware of concerns over littering and inappropriate parking.

“This is an operational asset and Scottish Water do require vehicle access.

“Whilst we do own the parking area and associated tanks, we lease the area of the filter house site from a neighbouring landowner.

“The filter house is an essential part of our operational processes at the site. The lease was up for renewal and the decision to close the car park stems from the terms put to SW for a lease extension to be granted.

“The decision to close the car park to the public was not made lightly and we explored all available possibilities before agreeing this course of action.”

The banning of vehicles at Scottish Water’s car park leaves the estate’s facility as the only car park for accessing the reservoir and adjoining core paths.

However, the estate car park is not open on Fridays and Saturdays, and requires a permit obtainable only from Hogg’s newsagent in nearby Gifford.

The permits cost £5 per month but are limited in number and often sell out.

Parking on the road verges is still possible as far as Wester Hopes, so long as the road is not obstructed.

Haddington resident Alastair Shepherd, a frequent visitor to the area, was unhappy with the situation.

He said: “It seems deeply ironic that, at a time when the industrialisation of the Lammermuirs is such a hot topic, a publicly owned company like Scottish Water is hindering free access to the hills.

"Verge parking causes erosion, particularly in wet weather, and many people will be nervous about leaving their cars where they can be easily damaged.”

The Courier contacted Robbie Douglas Miller, of the Hopes Estate, for comment but, at the time of going to press, had not received a reply.