Coach ban Businesses call out letter which criticises tourist trips
COTSWOLD business owners have called out a letter which claims day trippers from Birmingham “just want a cheap day out paddling in the river and having picnics” and “leave rubbish all over the village green”. Bourton-on-the-water Parish Council voted to consider calling for a ban on touring coaches entering the picturesque village.
They say this is needed due to the chaos caused by the ongoing lack of dedicated coach parking spaces in Bourton. Parish councillors stress they are not “anti-coaches” but the traffic regulation orders are needed to improve traffic flow in the absence of safe parking.
Villagers complain it has become a “free for all” since December 31 when the privately owned Hacklings’ car park in Station Road ceased taking coaches. Several small business owners spoke out at the parish council meeting last week and said their livelihoods would be at risk if coaches were banned from the village.
John Mccabe asked about a document authored by former parish councillor Nigel Randall which was published by the council. He asked during the public session on March 6 if it was officially commissioned by the council.
“The paper appears to contain the author’s views with various personal perspectives,” Mr Mccabe said. “North American visitors who did spend have been replaced by Asian visitors who don’t, says who?
“Visitors from Birmingham and the Midlands just want a cheap day out, with children and an array of dogs, says who.”
“The loss, or reduced number of large coaches expected in 2024 will make a minor impact as more of the visitors are arriving by car and minibuses, says who?”
“The mix is changing from spenders to cheap days out, says who?”
The letter also says adult visitors paddle in the river and picnics, take-aways and drink are consumed all over the village green and the detritus and rubbish left behind.
Mr Mccabe told the meeting that the paper could not be used in decision making: “Only credible facts should be considered given the gravity of the situation where people’s livelihoods are at stake.”
His words were met with a round of applause from the packed public gallery. Chairman Andy Roberts told the meeting that the letter was not commissioned by the council but that it “came as correspondence”.
“In view of some of the tone it was withdrawn from discussion of this meeting,” he added. The parish council approved a proposal for its highways committee to consider the best way forward later this month.
Their proposals would then be considered by the council in April. This may include a request for the use of permanent or emergency TROS, or a combination of both, “given the urgency of the need to manage coach movements”.
Any final decision would be subject to a full public consultation and would need to be implemented by highways authority Gloucestershire County Council.