Residents and businesses to have their say on parking and travel in Bourton-on-the-Water
Gloucestershire County Council is reviewing parking arrangements, coach services and pedestrian movement to better balance the needs of residents, businesses, visitors and commuters.
Parking pressures and the popularity of the village can make it difficult to get around, particularly on foot. The review will look at how people travel through Bourton-on-the-Water and explore options to improve safety, access and movement.
The council also recognises concerns about how public transport, including coaches, affects movement around the village, particularly along the High Street. Understanding these experiences will help shape fair and workable solutions.
A public engagement exercise will launch next month, giving residents, businesses and visitors the chance to share their views and help shape future plans.
The review is currently at the feasibility stage, with the council gathering information on parking use, vehicle (including coach and bus) and pedestrian movements and wider travel patterns across the village.
As part of this work, opportunities to support more sustainable travel will also be explored, including cycle parking and electric vehicle charging points.
Coach movements are also being considered. A temporary coach drop-off and pick-up arrangement is in place on Meadow Way through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), allowing coaches to stop briefly before moving to off-site parking. This is being monitored to help inform longer-term solutions.
Feedback gathered through the engagement will be used to develop potential options, which will be shared with the community before any decisions are made.
Cllr Roger Whyborn, cabinet member for sustainable transport and road safety at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We know Bourton-on-the-Water faces complex challenges, with high visitor numbers alongside the needs of people who live and work there every day.
“This work is about listening carefully to those experiences so we can find practical, balanced ways to improve how people get around the village. I’d encourage everyone to take part when the engagement launches.”
Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, county councillor for Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach, added: “I know how strongly people feel about parking and traffic in Bourton, particularly during busy periods. People want action and this is about getting the right information and then making changes to address the big issues which residents raise with me.
It’s important that local people can share their views and help shape the right solutions for the village. I would really encourage anyone with a view to take part in the upcoming engagement.”