Bourton-on-the-Water: Talks ongoing to restrict coaches in Cotswolds village

Countless tourists visit Bourton-on-the-Water every year

Residents and business owners in the Cotswolds are being "pitted against each other" over plans to ban coaches.

Bourton-on-the-Water parish councillors say there is nowhere in the village for coaches to safely drop off tourists or to turn around.

Traders told a meeting on Wednesday they feared a coach ban would lead to a decline in visitors representing "millions" of pounds worth in sales.

Talks are ongoing and another meeting has been arranged for next week.

The parish council said at a public meeting on 3 April it would continue to engage with Cotswold District Council to discuss coaches use of Rissington Road car park.

Gloucestershire County Council highways authority, county, district and parish councillors, the police and Pulhams Coaches will meet next week to discuss other potential solutions for coach parking, pick-up and drop-off points in the village.

The parish council has stated it "does not have the authority" to implement any traffic regulation orders and can "only make recommendations" to the highways authority to do so.

'Frustrating for everybody'

Local businesses have raised concerns that banning coaches from Bourton-on-the-Water could cost them "millions" however.

Andrew Lund-Yates, who owns The Model Village and The Old New Inn in the village, said after the meeting on Wednesday he was "extremely disappointed".

Mr Lund-Yates said he believed the "best solution for everybody" would be to provide coach drop-off points at Rissington Road car park, where passengers could get off "safely".

"It's frustrating for everybody concerned.

"It's pitting businesses against local residents.

"The parish council are stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to make a decision that gets the best solution for everybody.

"It shouldn't be going on for this long."