As a result of joint work with Transport for London (TfL) and the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), the London Tourist Coach Operators Association (LTCOA) has agreed improvements for setting down and picking up passengers on Transport for London’s Road Network (TLRN), commonly known as Red Routes.
Once fully implemented, it will allow coaches to set down and pick up only within a 10-minute period at locations where members say they face regular challenges.
The LTCOA has worked closely with TfL in agreeing a number of sites, but needs to ensure that regular traffic is impacted as little as possible.
To ensure smooth implementation, the locations will be initially trialled with members of the LTCOA and CPT, before rolling them out more widely over the summer.
This will help ensure that any potential issues can be ironed out at an early stage and will also help TfL adjust to any potential impacts.
Any use of these facilities outside the given window, and for any other purpose, will result in a penalty charge notice (PCN) being issued and regular infringement could result in the withdrawal of one or all of these facilities.
Stephen Telling, Chairman of the LTCOA says: “I am very pleased to welcome these improvements, which have come around through determination and hard work by all those involved.
“This will allow coach operators to set down and pick up their customers at specific locations without fear of being penalised. This shows the strength of working together with our partners and the importance of trade associations in representing their members.
“However, we in the coach industry now have a responsibility to ensure that these arrangements work. We all need to ensure that we keep to the rules set out by TfL to minimise the impact of coaches on the busy Red Route network.”
The LTCOA and the CPT will continue to lobby for further improvements to set down and pick up facilities as well as coach parking throughout London.
The TRLN, which is managed by TfL, make up just 5% of London’s roads, but carries 30% of the traffic. 

