In 2003, the Kent town of Rochester was the first destination to receive the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s ‘Coach Friendly’ status. Today, there are 43 recipients across England, Scotland and Wales. Being ‘Coach Friendly’ appears to be a win-win situation for both operator and destination, so why aren’t there more?
Councillor Anne Roberts MBE is on a mission. Deputy Mayor with Ruthin Town Council in Denbighshire in North Wales, and Chair of the Ruthin and District Civic Association, she’s keen to attract visitors to what she describes as one of North Walesâ best kept secrets.
In 2019, realising that if the town was to encourage coach operators to visit, there was a need to show that coaches were welcome, Anne liaised with the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and was successful in obtaining âCoach Friendlyâ accreditation.
“The tourist hotspots along the A5 and the North Wales coast act as a magnet, but Ruthin, midway between Wrexham and Llangollen, is somewhere special,â she says. âWe have Ruthin Castle and Ruthin Jail as well as the oldest town house in Wales. We have a new coach drop-off point in St Peter’s Square and there’s free coach parking and toilets at Ruthin Craft Centre.
“The town is medieval, so thereâs plenty for visitors to explore. CPT has been to visit us again this year and our âCoach Friendlyâ status has been renewed. Weâre very pleased, especially as, for the moment at least, weâre the only destination in North Wales with the status. I’d like to invite coach operators to get in touch and arrange a visit. Call the Town Council on 01824 703797 or search for ‘Coach Friendly Ruthin’ online.”
Retention is important
Anne’s point about destinations not having their status renewed is an important one. Of the schemeâs early recipients: Rochester in 2003, Stratford-upon-Avon, Windsor and Southport in 2004, Salisbury and Scarborough in 2005, Eden Valley in 2006, Chester in 2007, Bury in 2008 and Lichfield in 2009, only Bury, Salisbury and Windsor remain on the list today.
Alnwick, which received the status in 2010, is one of many other destinations with recent accreditation to retain it. Mayor of Alnwick, Cllr Geoff Watson, led the move to have it renewed.
“The town council had to show that Alnwick is an excellent destination for coach operators,â he says. âWe had to highlight the town’s welcome, its attractions and facilities. Our application was supported by a number of local businesses, including The White Swan Hotel, Alnwick Castle and The Alnwick Garden. We now welcome around 3,000 coaches each year.”
Supporting the launch was County Durham-based Stanley Travel. Director Andrew Scott recognises the value of the accreditation but notes it doesn’t have the impact on tour planning it could have.
“We bring many inbound groups into the town,â he says, âoften on the way between Edinburgh and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, so it’s good to know it’s easily accessible for us. But in terms of planning visits to other parts of the country, it would be good for the Coach Friendly pages to have more visibility on the CPT website. At the moment Iâm more likely to talk to other operators to discuss destination options.”
Extending parking hours
In North Yorkshire, the market town of Ripon secured the status in April this year with support from Visit North Yorkshire.
“We have a lovely coach park opposite the town’s bus station and toilets, and just a short walk from Ripon Market Place,” says Lilla Bathurst, Manager of Ripon BID.
“We wanted to gain the status so we could really demonstrate that we welcome coaches and groups. Lobbying North Yorkshire Council to remove the existing four-hour coach parking limit proved to be a bit of an uphill battle. However, with the help of Ripon’s current Mayor, Andrew Williams, we got there.
“The support from Visit North Yorkshire, and Head of Tourism Tony Watson, brought funding and a valuable liaison with the Highways department to secure improved signage. As a BID we strive hard to develop excellent relationships with all stakeholders in Ripon, and this pays dividends in projects like this.
“At the end of the main tourist season we’ll be canvassing our local attractions, museums and the cathedral for feedback. Coach operators can help too. It would be ideal if they contact me in advance of a visit. We can supply maps and other marketing collateral to help promote a visit. I can be contacted on 01765 530510.”
Coach Friendly Business Toolkit
In Scotland, Inverness and Perth have had their accreditation renewed, with Dunfermline joining the list in May 2025.
Donald Mackenzie, Chair of Dunfermline and West Fife Tourism Association, worked closely with Paul White from CPT Scotland.
“The accreditation marks a significant milestone in Fife’s drive to support sustainable and inclusive tourism,” he says. “It positions Dunfermline as a key destination for group travel. The status recognises the efforts of businesses, attractions and the wider community to make our city accessible and welcoming to coaches and their groups.”
Tourism organisation ‘Welcome to Fife’ has gone a step further, pulling together a ‘Coach Friendly Business Toolkit’ to encourage local businesses to attract group visitors, a useful reminder that businesses often need prompting on what coach friendliness really means.
In June this year the status was awarded to the Isle of Wight, represented by Visit Isle of Wight, alongside Isle of Wight Council. The move was in recognition of the islandâs significant tourism offer and the partnersâ commitment to increasing traffic from coach operators and visitors. In Liverpool, where the coach welcome scheme emerged from the city’s 2008 status as European Capital of Culture, accreditation continues to be renewed, most recently in November 2025.
Natalie Wyatt, Managing Director of Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, notes how coaches and their groups support local businesses.
“The status is more than a badge of honour,” she says. “It reflects Liverpool’s commitment to welcoming visitors at scale, sustainably and with care. The accreditation shows that Liverpool is not only open for tourism but also leading the way in how cities can embrace group travel.”
New opportunities for coach provision
Recognising the benefits to the industry that accrue from the âCoach Friendlyâ scheme, is CPT continuing to encourage destinations to work towards accreditation?
“In the past, CPT Regional Managers would have worked mostly with local councils and specific tourist destinations,” says Andy Shaw, CPT’s Coaching Manager. “That still continues but now you also have mayoral combined authorities, BID teams and subnational transport bodies.
“We are working with local authorities to ensure coach provision is included in their local transport plans. However, in adding new destinations we don’t want it to become simply a box ticking exercise. Many destinations want to gain the accreditation, but limited resources often preclude the action that needs to be taken.
“It’s also important that when we look to renew accreditation, which we do around every three years, destinations are still coach friendly. We won’t renew the status if we see that things have slipped. We take a commonsense approach and haven’t had anywhere recently fail their renewal as such, but there are two or three places where work is required to get them over the line.”
Raising the profile
Today, there are 43 accredited destinations and visitor attractions. The scheme has always had the potential to be a benchmark for excellence, and it’s good to see so many destinations having their status renewed. CPT says other destinations are in the pipeline, and there’s clearly room for significant growth, a move that would benefit coach operators and coach tourism across Great Britain.
It is understood that CPT is considering ways to raise the profile of the Coach Friendly scheme. For now, itâs worth taking a moment to check out the list of destinations with the status. Compared to some places where the coach welcome might be lukewarm, those on the list deserve a closer look. Itâs likely that Anne in Ruthin and Lilla in Ripon, and many others, would welcome that.
What is the CPT âCoach Friendlyâ scheme?
CPT describes the scheme as recognising and accrediting towns, cities, and attractions that demonstrate top-tier facilities for coach operators and passengers. Accredited destinations must meet strict criteria, including providing exceptional passenger accessibility, dedicated coach parking (often free), directional signage, and comfortable facilities for coach drivers. Recently recognised locations include Bideford, Isle of Wight, Market Drayton and Teesside Park.
Where is âCoach Friendlyâ?
These are the 43 current holders of CPTâs âCoach Friendlyâ status:
England:
Aerospace Bristol
Alnwick
Beamish Museum
Beverley
Bideford
Bishop Auckland
Blackpool
Bury Market
Durham
Exmouth
Honiton
Ilkley
Isle of Wight
Liverpool
Market Drayton
Marlborough
Nantwich
Northallerton
Otley
RHS Garden Bridgewater
RHS Garden Harlow Carr
RHS Garden Hyde Hall
RHS Garden Rosemoor
RHS Garden Wisley
Ripon
Rochdale
Romsey
Salisbury
Seaton
Sidmouth
Shrewsbury
Teesside Retail Park, Middlesbrough
The Historic Dockyard Chatham
The National Stud, Newmarket
The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre, Hexham
Wells
Westwood Cross, Broadstairs
Windsor.
Scotland:
Dunfermline
Inverness
Perth.
Wales:
Ruthin
The Royal Mint Experience, Llantrisant.
