The leading players in London's coach tourism industry meet today to sign an agreement for action to improve coach facilities in London.

This will help everyone involved in, and affected by, the coach tourism business

Senior representatives from London boroughs, police, coach operators, tourism bodies and Transport for London (TfL) will sign the London Coach Tourism Concordat.

They are setting out to achieve a consistent approach on issues including routes, parking provisions and arrangements for special events.

Peter Hendy TfL Managing Director of Surface Transport said "London receives 2.8 million coach visitors a year and they contribute nearly £300 million to the capital's economy.

"This agreement sets out the needs of this hugely significant industry for London and highlights key issues affecting it.

"We're aiming to achieve a consistent approach across London on issues such as coach access to key tourist attractions, overnight parking and picking up and setting down facilities.

"That will help everyone involved in, and affected by, the coach tourism business."

London Coach Forum

The London Coach Forum, a London wide body facilitated by TfL and including representatives from local government, tourism and the coach industry will manage and monitor the concordat.

The forum will work to make sure the needs of the industry are met and ensure that it plays its part in maintaining good practice.

  • The London Coach Tourism Concordat is being signed at 15.45 today
  • The London Development Agency commissioned a study into London Coach Tourism
  • The study suggested that coach tourism represents 6m bed-nights in London with 2.8 million coach visitors each year and over £290m added to London's economy
  • This equates to around 800 coach parties travelling to and from London on a typical day in high season
  • It also identified problems ranging from traffic congestion, coach access to some locations and most importantly, difficulties in setting down and picking up passengers
  • The lack of provisions at key tourist locations and a short supply of parking spaces in the central area were also recognised
  • These were issues that had been identified by the London Coach Forum and it was clear that, to solve them, input was needed from all parties
  • London poses a unique problem in that there are 33 separate boroughs all of which have different needs for tourists, and have different priorities
  • Copies of the London Coach Tourism Concordat are available from TfL's press office