In reply to everyone:
There are many good arguments for replacing cord with bolts; tidiness, safety and convenience being the main ones.
And yes, we could focus on the most popular crags like the Northern Corries and maintain other areas as "wilderness". However...we've already had that conversation. Lowland crags and quarries could be bolted and all the mountains would be saved as "wilderness". All those people who were being mocked for 'thin end of the wedge' arguments are proved right every time this issue crops up on this site. If sport routes in Glen Coe are being used as a reason to bolt other mountain crags then maybe they shouldn't have gone in.
The real point is this -- it's not about tidiness, it's about self-reliance and adventure. If someone is not capable of climbing in the mountains without bringing a knife to tidy up and some cord to abseil off then the mountains are just too much effort for them. There are plenty of smaller, lower crags where they will have more fun.
To me, half the point of trad climbing is that I can climb on the limited amount of rock we have in this country and, despite many having gone before me, I can have an adventurous experience that, barring the guidebook, is as close as possible to the new route experience. When I've climbed on remote mountains abroad I don't think twice about bringing ab tat. Similarly I don't think twice about using it here in the UK. I am totally up to the challenge of spending £10 on some cord and spending 5 minutes rigging a safe descent. And yes, I have cleaned up ab stations in the past. I don't always do it, but I know I should.
Are the above statements elitist? Yes. Of course they are. That's the entire point of this sport. I can't climb most of the routes in this country because they're too hard for me, or too scary. I'm ok with that, but I'm proud of the ones which I've worked hard for and succeeded on.
I agree that cliffs can be very unsightly with rusting pegs and ab tat, but the answer isn't bolts. I often suspect that most of the people (certainly not all) who suggest using bolts for reason of environment are actually keen for reason of convenience. The lack of bolts is what makes climbing in this country exciting and special. The routes don't have to be dangerous (though they can if you want them to be) but they do have to have that sense of uncertainty that makes for an adventure. Not being entirely sure how you'll get down off a route is part of the adventure; putting in ab stations ruins that.
Bring a knife and your own cord. Stop expecting to rely on others and leave the route as you'd like to find it.