Gloucester Rd to close?
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LONDON's Gloucester Road coach station may have to close as a result of an enforcement notice served on its owners by Kensington and Chelsea Council.
The site was the subject of a temporary planning permission for the parking and driving off by coaches in 1977. No planning permission was ever given for its use as a coach terminal or for a terminal building of any type.
When its present use was brought to the attention of the Council planning committee in July last year the enforcement notice resulted. The owner of the coach park, Saintseal of London, has appealed against the notice and an appeal hearing was due to be held at Kensington Town Hall on April 26.
The loss of the coach station would be a particular blow to independent operators because there are no other suitable terminals.
The coach station has been a major ingredient in some coach services that commenced after the 1980 Transport Act including the Trathens/National Rapide concept which was launched by the then Junior Transport Minister Kenneth Clarke in the offending terminal.
The Bus and Coach Council was expected to be represented at the appeal.