Coachloads of tourists creating 'tipping point'

Residents of a village dubbed one of the most beautiful in the UK say visitor footfall has reached a "tipping point".

The village of Bibury in the Cotswolds is home to about 600 people but up to 20,000 tourists can visit in a single weekend - many of which arrive on coaches.

Residents and the local council are now exploring ways to mitigate the impact on the village which contains numerous listed buildings.

Councillor Michelle Holt, a Bibury Parish Council, said: "The sheer volume is just overwhelming for the local community and we just don't have the infrastructure to cope."

Ms Holt said the situation has now reached a tipping point and action was needed.

Despite the village having two coach bays next to a bridge over the River Coln, up to six coaches arrive on any given day.

Residents say that if the existing bays are full then the coaches will unload at the nearest space that is big enough - raising safety concerns around the narrow pavements being blocked and people having to walk in the road.

The village's roads are also often not wide enough for two coaches to pass each other which leads to traffic jams.

Craig Chapman, chairman of Bibury Parish Council, said: "Disruption to the heart of the village is exacerbated by the coaches.

"In the height of tourist season it can take half an hour for a resident to get from one side of the village to the other."

A working group has recommended stopping coaches from using parking bays and waiting on the B4425.

But this move is a short-term measure and further restrictions could be rolled out after a consultation, which is taking place this summer.

"No ones looking at banning coaches - what we're looking at doing is restricting their activities and movements," said Mr Chapman.

"The first thing is preventing stopping in the village around the Swan Bridge - which is a single track bridge and fundamental to the village's wellbeing.

"It's as unsafe to drop off in these areas as it is to park, so longer term action is to prevent dropping off."

Ms Holt added nobody is "anti-tourist" but she believes the "volumes of people that the coaches bring makes it unpleasant for everyone".

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