FORMAL complaints have now been filed with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Park Authority regarding the closure of the Milarrochy Bay slipway.

Last week the Advertiser detailed the closure of the slipway and the outrage from loch users at not being consulted.

At the time, a spokesperson for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs said: “This is an operational decision based on National Park resources which does not require public consultation.

“Letters have been sent to everyone who currently has a motorised craft registered to notify them and explain this decision ahead of the change coming in April.”

Now the Loch Lomond Association has sent a formal letter of protest to Gordon Watson, chief executive of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

The letter reads: “The LLA committee, following its meeting on Wednesday, February 1, on behalf of the Loch Lomond recreational boating community wishes to protest in the strongest possible terms at your planned closure of the above slipway [Milarrochy Bay] from April 1 2017.

It adds: “We wish to know by what authority this decision was taken without public consultation, bearing in mind that Milarrochy slipway represents 50 per cent of the approved public slipways on the loch for launching powered vessels.”

Mr Watson has replied to some of the concerns raised by loch and boat users, saying: “We are responding directly to the enquiries we have received about our decision and I fully appreciate that the small number of people who are still using our launching service at Milarrochy will be disappointed.”

He added: “The manoeuvring of vehicles and trailers on Milarrochy beach represents a high health and safety risk especially at busy times when other people are using the area.

“This means boat launching should be supervised by our staff.

“The use of the facility to launch powered craft has been declining every year to the extent that last year we calculated staff costs to be £54 per boat launched, which is almost the same as the £55 launch fee boat users pay for a whole year.

“We will continue to provide a full boat launching service at the Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway in Balloch which continues to be well used. Milarrochy otherwise continues to be a very popular location”