AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Snarl-ups and sna s

15th July 1977, Page 20
15th July 1977
Page 20
Page 20, 15th July 1977 — Snarl-ups and sna s
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

MPs and councillors have just been on a drive round London's tourist attractions to see for themselves the problems that face coach drivers taking visitors about the capital.

They were accompanied by police authority and tourist board representatives on the coach tour, organised by Transport and General Workers Union coach drivers' spokesman, Peter Helm.

John Stevens, TGWU London coach and hotel officer, gave an opening talk. Then, Tom Long, of the London Guild of Lecturers, took the microphone to point out, with graphic help from Peter Helm and Guards of London driver Ron Stone, the parking and other problems that London tourist coaches meet.

One of the worst problems is that up to 100 coaches are involved in London tours every morning; most follow the same basic intinerary and end up at the Mall for the Changing of the Guard. Coaches, therefore, arrive, simultaneously, at each attraction and cause congestion. Ill-feeling between drivers and traffic wardens and police often follows.

Robert Adley, Conservative MP and chairman of the all-party committee on tourism, spoke of the importance to the national economy of tourism and the industries supporting it. But he warned of the strength of the anti-tourist lobby and noted the absence from the trip of TGWU-sponsored Mps.

The tour covered most of London's tourist attractions where coach parking and tourist facilities, or the lack of them, were pointed out.

Retrograde steps like the proposed closure of St Paul's coach park — were also observed.

It has been suggested that coaches should only be allowed to drop off and pick up at St Paul's and should park at Smithfield. Drivers feel they would hardly have time even to get to Smithfield and back while their pasengers were visiting the cathedral.

Provision of coach parking meters and their use was approved of and welcomed, so was the provision of a new privately-owned coach park in Ashburn Mews, Kensington.

As the coach passed the disused Wellington Barracks, it was suggested that this site would provide an ideal facility for coaches visiting the Changing of the Guard and would eliminate the need to restrict coach permits for this event.

The tour, which started and finished at County Hall, Westminster, illustrated the lack of official consideration for the interests of tourist coach drivers, operators, guides and passengers.


comments powered by Disqus