A beautiful Cotswolds village could ban tourist coaches altogether after locals complained about their home being overrun by visitors.
The small village of Bibury on the River Coln in Gloucestershire attracts thousands of visitors a year. When he visited, 19th-century textile designer William Morris even called it “the most beautiful village in England.”
But despite its beauty, the number of tourists is becoming untenable for locals, who say the village is crowded and becomes like the Wild West when coach-loads of tourists arrive during the summer and on bank holidays. Tourists will block roads and pathways, walk on people’s gardens and take pictures on their doorsteps.
In response, residents, including councillors and police, have formed a working group calling for action. The working group wants to encourage tourists to come in other ways, such as walking, cycling, public transport or minibuses.
Gloucester County Council has since announced plans to deal with the overtourism. More minor measures will be taken first but if these don’t succeed, coaches could be banned from stopping in the village by preventing access and changing parking bay layouts.
Councillor Stephen Davies, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing 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.
“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 said: “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.
“Whilst this is the start of action, it is very positive and I am confident it will be appreciated by the community.”
The nearby village of Bourton-on-the-Water has already banned coaches after “buckling under the weight” of overtourism, sparking fears that a drop in visitors could make it a “ghost town”.
Like Bibury, the village attracts thousands of visitors a year because it has been dubbed the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’. Similar conversations about overtourism are happening in Whitby in North Yorkshire, Salcombe in Devon, and Padstow in Cornwall.
