Calls for a long-term transport strategy in Bourton-on-the-Water have come amid the long-running dispute over coach parking in the village.
The comments come from Andrew Pulham, Consultant at Pulhams Coaches, who has been leading efforts to find a compromise on behalf of the coach sector. Three local authorities are currently entangled in the issue, which came to a head on 6 March, when Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council voted in favour of seeking a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to ban coaches entirely from the village.
routeone understands that Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), which would be responsible for enforcement of a TRO, does not endorse such a proposal. However, at time of writing, the Parish Council continues to pursue a TRO and remains in favour of banning coaches from entering the village.
GCC has been working with Mr Pulham and the Parish Council to find a solution, which now involves two possible drop-off locations in the village, and the use of Pulhams’ depot as a coach park.
The favoured drop-off point is Rissington Road car park, owned by Cotswold District Council (CDC). That authority has, however, refused.
Cllr Tony Dale, Cabinet Member for the Economy and Council Transformation, tells routeone that the surface is not suitable for the weight of coaches, would be “unaffordable” if adopted as a coach park, cost “vital car parking spaces” as well as disabled bays, and result in a loss of funding from a 50p tourism charge.
Mr Pulham refutes that reasoning, noting that the car park has previously accepted heavy vehicles and that it is unlikely that the substructure has been downgraded since the refurbishment. He further points out that GCC has offered to undertake research into Rissington Road car park, as well as assist with the funding of alterations required to make it suited to coaches. That includes mitigating any loss of space caused by the provision of coach bays. A trial has been refused by CDC.
“I think it’s an excuse on CDC’s part, and at no point has it come forward or provided diagrams or drawings to evidence why the car park is unsuitable,” Mr Pulham says.
Meadow Way, near Bourton Industrial Park, is under review as an alternative. But Mr Pulham says the Parish Council’s pursual of a TRO continues to delay progress. While Rissington Road is the favoured solution and would limit coach movements through the village, he wants to see CDC and the Parish Council discuss options that do not include a TRO.
“It isn’t the answer, and they should be looking at this from a wider perspective,” he says. “We should be looking at a longer-term transport strategy, such as a park-and-ride, to reduce cars in the village, which are the real problem. The Bourton Business Network makes it clear that 20% of revenue comes from coaches, and possibly greater. If the coaches don’t come, they fear a number will close.”
Phil Smith, UK Coach Manager for the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), expresses thanks to Mr Pulham for his efforts in leading the way towards trying to find a solution for the ongoing coach parking issue at Bourton-on-the-Water and “implores CDC to think about the environmentally sustainable and economic benefits that adapting Rissington Road car park for use by some coaches would deliver both to Bourton and the wider Cotswolds.”
