Latest news with #Bibury
BBC News
23-05-2025
- BBC News
Police crackdown on dangerous parking as Bibury trial begins
There will be increased police presence in a village to crack down on dangerous parking as a new traffic trial gets under way.A temporary traffic management scheme has started in Bibury, which sees coach parking bays temporarily replaced with bus stops, giving coaches ten minutes to pick up and drop off Spivey, the leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said the trial was implemented following "complete chaos" over recent bank holiday Jason Edwards of the Coach Tourism Association said it was "short-sighted" and may deter coach drivers from visiting. Up to 20,000 visitors can descend on Bibury, considered one of the prettiest villages in the UK, in one weekend, with many of them arriving by Spivey said the trial was "not a ban" but "a different way of getting people in and out of Bibury".She added there will be an increased police presence over the weekend to manage the traffic and ensure roads are not of the recent bank holiday weekends, she said: "[The parking] was really dangerous and it made it really unpleasant both for residents and also those visitors coming."I've seen illegal moves being made by coach drivers reversing into those spaces without a banksman guiding them, which is highly dangerous," she said. "Let's face it, this village was designed when haycarts and horses were the mode of transport, not massive coaches holding 50-60 people with loads of them coming at the same time."Coaches arrive, there's no way of controlling when they arrive. If ten arrive at the same time and there's two parking bays, it's chaos."But Jason Edwards, deputy chairman of the Coach Tourism Association, was worried the "short-sighted" trial will deter some coach drivers."We do expect to be able to drop off at a central point which is safe, convenient and not obstructing any traffic," he said."Our customers do spend a lot of money in these places and our drivers... abide by strict regulations and laws. It's a difficult one to grasp, really."
The Independent
22-05-2025
- The Independent
Picturesque English village trials new restrictions after visitor influx
A picturesque Cotswold village, which attracts up to 20,000 tourists each weekend, is implementing new restrictions on coach access. From Friday, Gloucestershire County Council will roll out a temporary traffic management trial in Bibury, a well-known destination in the Cotswolds, altering how visitors arrive in the village centre. Currently, up to 50 coaches park in the village daily. The trial will see the existing coach bays temporarily closed and replaced with designated bus stops for safer drop-off and pick-up. The county council said it had worked with local coach operators, businesses, and the community to introduce the trial after tensions between tourists and residents escalated, with one villager claiming to have had his foot run over by a Range Rover in a parking dispute. The village in the Cotswolds, once described by Artist William Morris as the 'most beautiful village in England', is home to just 700 people Newly-appointed county council leader Lisa Spivey, who represents the South Cerney division, said: 'The safety of our residents and visitors is paramount. 'We've seen an increase in unsafe coach movements, particularly reversing into bays without proper guidance, which poses a serious risk to pedestrians and other road users. 'This trial is a proactive step to prevent accidents and ensure Bibury remains a welcoming and safe destination for all.' The council is urging visitors to park responsibly and use designated parking areas. 'Irresponsible parking not only endangers others but also detracts from the charm and accessibility of this historic village,' a council spokesperson said. 'Any vehicles not parked in compliance with parking restrictions will risk being issued with a parking penalty charge notice.' As part of the trial, car parking will also be suspended opposite the trout farm to provide a safe area for coaches to drop off and pick up customers. Visitors arriving by car are encouraged to use the pay and display car park at the trout farm or on the street, which offers unrestricted parking. Numbers of tourists have increased in recent years thanks to social media influencers promoting the village as a lazy get-away from major cities such as London.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Crackdown on 'unsafe' tourist coaches in England's 'most beautiful village': Parking restrictions enforced in Cotswold hotspot invaded by 20,000 visitors every weekend
Parking restrictions are being introduced on tourist coaches entering what has been dubbed England's most beautiful village which is invaded by a huge number of visitors every weekend. The picturesque Cotswold village of Bibury can sometimes see as many as 20,000 visitors in a weekend, and up to 50 coaches parking there in a day. Gloucestershire County Council has now announced a temporary traffic management trial, starting on Friday, for the bank holiday weekend. It will see the existing coach bays in the village centre temporarily closed and instead bus stops will be installed for safer passenger drop-off and pick-up. The county council said it had worked with local coach operators, businesses, and the community to introduce the trial in the popular village. Newly-appointed county council leader Lisa Spivey, who represents the South Cerney division, said: 'The safety of our residents and visitors is paramount. 'We've seen an increase in unsafe coach movements, particularly reversing into bays without proper guidance, which poses a serious risk to pedestrians and other road users. 'This trial is a proactive step to prevent accidents and ensure Bibury remains a welcoming and safe destination for all.' The council is urging visitors to park responsibly and use designated parking areas. 'Irresponsible parking not only endangers others but also detracts from the charm and accessibility of this historic village,' a council spokesman said. 'Any vehicles not parked in compliance with parking restrictions will risk being issued with a parking penalty charge notice.' As part of the trial, car parking will also be suspended opposite the trout farm to provide a safe area for coaches to drop off and pick up customers. Visitors arriving by car are encouraged to use the pay and display car park at the trout farm or on The Street, which offers unrestricted parking. People living in Bibury, once described by 19th Century writer William Morris as the 'most beautiful village in England', say for much of the year it becomes like the Wild West. The increase of visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the tiny villages as perfect day trip destinations from big cities such as London on social media. Longer-term recommendations from Gloucestershire County Council include looking into prohibiting coaches from stopping and parking in Bibury completely and improving signs to direct them away from its narrow lanes. The group wants to see if there might be areas outside of the village where coaches could park. It also wants to encourage tourists to use other ways of visiting Bibury, such as walking, cycling, using public transport or minibuses. Councillor Stephen Davies, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said in March: 'We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Bibury residents and visitors. 'The proposed measures will help manage traffic more effectively and enhance the overall experience for everyone. 'We appreciate the community's support and cooperation as we implement these changes. Visitors arriving by car are encouraged to use the pay and display car park at the trout farm or on The Street, which offers unrestricted parking 'We also understand that these proposals may not be popular with coach operators, however we are determined to work to find a solution for coach tourists to be able to visit Bibury but this will take time. 'Therefore, we have attempted to find compromise solutions that offer outcomes which continue to welcome visitors in a managed way, whilst also addressing safety and congestion concerns of the village.' Parish council chairman Craig Chapman, added: 'Whilst the residents of Bibury acknowledge that we live in a lovely village, the pressures put on us by the sheer volume of tourists visiting and coaches bringing tourists has become intolerable and unacceptable.' He added: 'Whilst this is the start of action, it is very positive and I am confident it will be appreciated by the community.' Coaches have already been banned from going into the centre of nearby Bourton-on-the-Water, dubbed the 'Venice of the Cotswolds', because of similar issues to those in Bibury. The plans sparked a war between locals amid fears that banning coaches could make Bourton-on-the-Water a 'ghost town'. Serious parking and congestion issues led to enraged locals calling for the ban as they say Bourton-on-the-Water 'cannot cope' with the huge influx of visitors. The beautiful village, which is 15 miles east of Cheltenham and has a population of 3,000, was given the 'Venice' label because of the number ornate stone bridges over the River Windrush. Tens of thousands of tourists flock to the village every year - which is great for traders - but residents were growing increasingly frustrated with the congestion. Parish and district councillor Jon Wareing last year said Bourton was buckling under the weight of an ever increasing number of daytrippers. 'People can spend an hour in their car, driving around. Some of the ''difficult'' behaviour that follows is because they get frustrated. 'One of my neighbours asked this person not to park on his property and got threatened with violence. He said he knew where they lived if they did anything to his car and threatened to throw a brick through their window.'
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
Coach restrictions introduced in Cotswold village to improve road safety
Restrictions are being introduced on coaches entering a picturesque Cotswold village which is visited by huge numbers of tourists each year. The village of Bibury can sometimes see as many as 20,000 visitors in a weekend, and up to 50 coaches parking there in a day. Gloucestershire County Council has announced a temporary traffic management trial, starting on Friday, for the bank holiday weekend. It will see the existing coach bays in the village centre temporarily closed and instead bus stops will be installed for safer passenger drop-off and pick-up. The county council said it had worked with local coach operators, businesses, and the community to introduce the trial in the popular village. Newly-appointed county council leader Lisa Spivey, who represents the South Cerney division, said: 'The safety of our residents and visitors is paramount. 'We've seen an increase in unsafe coach movements, particularly reversing into bays without proper guidance, which poses a serious risk to pedestrians and other road users. 'This trial is a proactive step to prevent accidents and ensure Bibury remains a welcoming and safe destination for all.' The council is urging visitors to park responsibly and use designated parking areas. 'Irresponsible parking not only endangers others but also detracts from the charm and accessibility of this historic village,' a council spokesman said. 'Any vehicles not parked in compliance with parking restrictions will risk being issued with a parking penalty charge notice.' As part of the trial, car parking will also be suspended opposite the trout farm to provide a safe area for coaches to drop off and pick up customers. Visitors arriving by car are encouraged to use the pay and display car park at the trout farm or on The Street, which offers unrestricted parking.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
New traffic rules as 'UK's prettiest' village faces 'overtourism'
Restrictions are being introduced on coaches entering a picturesque Cotswold village ahead of the bank holiday weekend, a council has dubbed one of England's prettiest villages, is home to just a few hundred residents - yet it can draw up to 20,000 visitors a weekend, with as many as 50 coaches arriving each day.A temporary traffic management trial, starting on Friday, will see the existing coach bays in the village centre temporarily closed and bus stops will be installed for safer passenger drop-off and County Council said it had worked with coach operators, businesses, and the community to introduce the scheme. The move comes just weeks after plans to create a coach parking area were scrapped, following the landowner's withdrawal amid strong opposition from local often travel to the village to see Arlington Row - which is one of the most famous views in the recent years, residents have complained about "gridlock and parking chaos" as tourists have flocked to the Easter, the foot of a local man was run over in a dispute over county council leader Lisa Spivey said: "The safety of our residents and visitors is paramount. 'Prevent accidents' "We've seen an increase in unsafe coach movements, particularly reversing into bays without proper guidance, which poses a serious risk to pedestrians and other road users."This trial is a proactive step to prevent accidents and ensure Bibury remains a welcoming and safe destination for all."The council is urging visitors to park responsibly and use designated parking areas."Irresponsible parking not only endangers others but also detracts from the charm and accessibility of this historic village," a council spokesman said."Any vehicles not parked in compliance with parking restrictions will risk being issued with a parking penalty charge notice."As part of the trial, car parking will also be suspended opposite the trout farm to provide a safe area for coaches to drop off and pick up are encouraged to use the pay and display car park at the trout farm or on The Street, which offers unrestricted parking.
