Coach friendly status to be driven forward

Plans to make Marlborough a Coach Friendly Town will be driven forward by the Town Council.

At a meeting of the Town Team – a committee made up of councillors, officials, and business leaders – on Thursday, it was agreed to put proposals before January’s full meeting of Marlborough Town Council that would see the town take its first steps towards coach-friendly status.

As reported by Marlborough News Online back in October, encouraging more coach operators to stop in Marlborough could inject upwards of £150,000 a year into the local economy, based on two extra coaches per day, each bringing 25 people who spent £16 to £17 each.

To achieve Coach Friendly Status, the town has to meet a number of requirements, including putting in place a group tourism strategy, ensuring signage is adequate, and identifying coach pick-up and set-down points.

Toilet facilities and places to buy refreshments – something Marlborough has in abundance – are also important.

John Burch of the Confederation of Passenger Transport visited the town in October to see for himself the facilities Marlborough offers to coach drivers and passengers, and how those facilities could be improved.

During a meeting at the Merchant’s House he discussed the scheme with town and county councillors, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from the tourism industry.

Mr Burch said the town’s High Street – the widest non-pedestrianised high street in Britain – was well suited to coach traffic. There were long and wide bays for coaches and buses along the sides of High Street although, he noted,  coach operators would have to work with those running the regular bus routes to ensure that clashes did not occur.

He was also happy to see dedicated coach parking at George Lane car park, with toilet facilities nearby, although he mourned the loss of the Tourist Information Centre at the same site, and was disappointed that coach drivers were charged to park.

Salisbury and Devizes have already achieved coach friendly status.