WALKERS heading for the Kilpatrick Hills could face restrictions to parking and vehicle access.

The move comes after concerns were raised over people leaving their cars on residential streets and making it unsafe for those living in the area.

The proposals will be discussed at a full meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) on May 26.

A report published in advance of the meeting told how visitor numbers increased by as much as six fold last year, compared to 2019.

The same report says WDC officials are working on traffic regulation orders for Station Road and Mount Pleasant Drive in Old Kilpatrick, and for Cochno Road in Faifley between Duncombe Avenue and the boundary with East Dunbartonshire.

The report states: “In recent years there has been growing visitor pressures identified on remote rural communities and wild places throughout Scotland.

“Visitor numbers have been increasing gradually across all access points to the Kilpatrick Hills, and although it is great to see that more people want to get out to enjoy the outdoors, the rising popularity is presenting challenges to both rural communities and wild places.

“With the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown in July 2020, visitor numbers have become a major issue, increasing by as much as six fold on some weeks compared to 2019.”

The main issues identified include increased waste and littering, inappropriate roadside parking, human waste and inappropriate toileting, increased traffic and pressure on local roads, lack of awareness of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, negative impacts on the environment, disruption to communities and anti-social visitor behaviour.

Further to the motion, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has appointed two additional rangers to patrol over the summer.

The council has also agreed a contract with FLS to provide large bins at the entrance to Cochno Hill in a bid to tackle the litter problem in the area.