A TEAM of reservoir rangers has been set up by Scottish Water to help promote safety at some of the country’s most popular tourist spots.

The team will patrol the paths and shorelines of four major reservoirs – Carron Valley in Stirlingshire, Gladhouse in Midlothian and the two reservoirs in Milngavie near Glasgow.

The rangers will ensure the passing public are kept safe while also helping to protect the environment and habitats nearby.

Davy Gray, team manager for the rangers team, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be starting this pilot of a new ranger service at the three reservoirs with our partner agencies.

“Feedback from visitor management peers suggests that a ranger presence makes a difference and helps support responsible access so we’re keen to trial rangers at these reservoirs to understand what difference they can make at Scottish Water sites.”

It has emerged over the past two years that anti-social behaviour has been on the rise near the four chosen sites. A primary mission of the team is to prevent this behaviour from occurring and ensure members of the public are kept safe.

The Carron Valley site will be patrolled by Paul Coleman, who is the Stirlingshire member of the rangers.

This initiative will be full-time and seasonal until October 2023 as part of a wider pilot programme called Enabling Responsible Access to promote connections between communities and reservoirs.

“It’s hoped that, by being able to engage with visitors,” Davy added, “we can enable people to get the most out of their experience at the reservoirs and emphasise the key aspects of water safety and responsible behaviour while also promoting positive messages about what Scottish Water does.”