Whitby’s mayor has backed calls for free coach parking to be introduced in the town.
Coun Sandra Turner said it would help to increase retail footfall and tackle traffic congestion.
The town council has been approached by the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) with a view to putting a case forward to North Yorkshire Council to remove the charges for coaches.
At the momentum coaches are only staying for short periods due to the the costs to park, or parking where it is free but causing congestion.
It was also argued, when the matter was raised at a meeting of Whitby Town Council’s Community and Events committee on Tuesday evening, that coaches have allocated free parking at other tourist locations around the region.
Coun Turner said: “Colleagues at the TIC have done a lot of work on this and gathered information.
“They want to discuss with NYC the possibility of extending the offer to Whitby, there are other parts where coaches can park for free.
“We are losing out on footfall within the town because the coaches come for short periods and move on.”
She added that if coach trips stayed in the town centre for longer, visitors would be able to explore further afield such as Flowergate and Skinner Street and places like the museum.
Chair of the meeting, Coun Jane McLaren said: “Speaking as an ex-market trader, when we did have coach parties coming in they were drivers for footfall. More or less everybody’s takings were really inflated compared to days when coaches did not come in.”
While it was agreed visitors coming by coach was preferable to individual cars, there were concerns about the impact it would have on what is already a shortage of available parking spaces for residents and businesses.
Coun Darren Achibald said coaches parking in places where they didn’t have to pay was causing congestion problems around Langbourne Road and he had heard reports it was taking people an hour and 40 minutes to get from car parks around the marina and up to the Stables roundabout.
Coun Michelle Harle added that when the swing bridge was out of action, there was more traffic getting backed up over the New Bridge to add to the congestion.
Designated coach spaces and another park and ride were options to be considered, added Coun Fiona Shackleton.
Coun Turner added: “That is the ultimate idea, hopefully people will see there is a coach trip for a day and do that instead of bringing a car.
“This is something to get the wheels in motion and it is about equality across the county. If there was a scheme, the idea is it would be regulated, organised and controlled because at the moment it is a free for all.”
It was agreed that the Whitby Town Council clerk would arrange an assessment of coach parking in Whitby and bring findings back to the town council so it can present a case to North Yorkshire Council.
