SELFISH tourists visiting the Harry Potter steam train are about to be hit with a parking ban.
Tiny Glenfinnan in Lochaber is overwhelmed every day by the huge number of visitors who want to see the iconic real life Hogwarts Express.
But there are only 180 parking spaces in the village and when they’re full cars and campervans are dumped at the roadside and on double yellows.
Lives are being put in danger so transport chiefs are about to take steps to stop anyone parking outside the official sites.
Bollards will be erected while grass verges will be built up to stop risky roadside parking.
A spokeswoman for the National Trust-run Glenfinnan Monument said: “Many of us who live in, work in or travel through Glenfinnan have been dismayed by the hazardous and illegal roadside parking we see when the village's visitor car parks are full.
“We understand how disappointing it must be to drive a long distance to get here, only to discover that there are no parking spaces available.
“But drivers are risking their and others' lives by choosing to leave a car or motorhome on the roadside, and walking along the busy road into Glenfinnan.”
The work is being carried out on behalf of Transport Scotland and will be done overnight later this month.
Visitors are being urged to travel to the spot by train or bus, to take the pressure off the roads.
But some claimed the move will alienate tourists. The Glenfinnan Monument spokesman denied this was the case.
She said: “We're sorry you feel we have a hostile attitude towards visitors, but I can assure you we don't.
“There is simply a safe and sustainable maximum capacity for cars and motorhomes in this beautiful wee village that we ask visitors to respect.
"This is why we are offering positive, practical advice on the alternatives.”
The Jacobite steam train was featured in the Harry Potter movies and seeing it go over the Glenfinnan Viaduct is a bucket list trip for fans
Car parking capacity in the village was trebled to 180 in 2022 but that’s still nowhere near enough to deal with the thousands who pour in every day.
It's thought almost half a million tourists flocked there last year, up more than 40% on the figures from 2022.
Residents welcomed the parking restrictions. One said: “This is amazing news. Not just for locals who regularly use the road but also for the safety of the visitors.”
Another fan added: “The problem is the size of some of hese camper-vans that park up and take up 2 spaces!
“ Glad something is being done to make it safer for people to visit.”
The Harry Potter train runs between Fort William and Mallaig. It was taken off the tracks over safety concerns earlier this year and broke down on its first day back in operation.
But that’s not dented its popularity and it still carries hundreds of thousands of fans every year.
