Vanished Village

The tiny village of Tarbert, population 600, has vanished off of the face of the Earth, at least according to Google Maps. Guarded by the ruins of Robert the Bruce’s castle, the small fishing village fell victim to modernization, and now is in danger of losing a great share of its major source of income.

Sat nav systems are directing users away from the village leading to a major drop in tourism, which has gradually become the primary source of income for Tarbert, replacing fishing. These systems, redirecting traffic to a single track route - used mainly for recreational purposes originally - offer a short-cut to the nearby ferry to Islay, and, even worse, designate a city named Carse to the spot where Tarbert should be.

Traders and business owners are worried about losing hundreds of potential customers who have no idea that one of Scotland’s most beautiful harbors is awaiting them only a mile away.

How does a village that holds the second-largest annual yacht race in the UK just disappear? A popular tourist spot, Tarbert could suffer greatly from the mistake. The Community Council have already filed a complaint, since they have no control over the content of Google Maps, and are waiting for a solution.

Google Maps' main supplier, Tele Atlas, is investigating the complaint.

Meanwhile, the Council encourages people to use the mapping system available on their website, while others point out the importance of using old-fashioned maps. Old, but not at all obsolete.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/The-Scottish-village-that-has.5073841.jp