TRADERS in Bourton-on-the-Water have said they can now look towards spring with relief that the saga surrounding coach parking is finally over.

About 600 coaches visit the village each year and park in Station Road car park which is privately owned by John Hackling.

But last autumn Mr Hackling said he was closing the site to coaches because he was getting fed up of complaints from residents at the adjacent The Larches estate, about coach drivers running the engines when stationary, causing noise and pollution.

He informed the parish council coaches would be turned away from February 1. But now traders, who said they were having trouble sleeping with concern over the impact on tourism from the coach ban, are rejoicing with the news last week that a solution has been found and the coaches will continue to be welcomed.

Cotswold District Council will take a lease for the site while allowing Mr Hackling to manage the site. This means that the council will have direct responsibility for complying with environmental regulations, including emissions.

“It is terrific news,” said chairman of the chamber of trade, Debbie Payne. “Everyone is so relieved. It has been a real concern for so long with no one knowing what was happening.

"People kept coming up to me and asking what was happening but I didn’t know. All I could say was to remain optimistic. There was nothing any of us could do until the district council and Mr Hackling came up with something."

“No one felt any animosity towards Mr Hacking at all throughout this. We understood the position he was in and how distressed he was about it. But it would have affected a lot of people if coaches had been banned.

"It’s not just the traders who may have suffered but the people they employ. I manage the Sue Ryder charity shop and although most of the workers are volunteers, they are mainly local ladies who come for the social aspect.

"If the shop had been forced to close they would have lost some of that,” she said.

John Weir, who has run a gift shop at The Cedars for almost 30 years said he too was hugely relieved. “I have lost a lot of sleep about this for a long time, he said.

"We can all start to look forward again now without the worry of what may happen with a huge loss of tourist trade. It could have meant the end for a lot of shops,” he said.

Mr Hackling, who now hands responsibility to the district council for ensuring coach drivers comply with regulations said: “Over the last few weeks we have had some very productive talks with representatives from both councils, and I believe that the arrangement we have agreed will work well.

"We are the local experts when it comes to managing the site and we can now continue in the knowledge that CDC will look after lease holder responsibilities. We look forward to welcoming coach parties now and in the future.”

Bourton Parish Council chairman Cllr Bryan Sumner also expressed his delight.

“This is a great day for Bourton and, indeed the whole district,” he said after hearing of the reprieve. “This site is vital to the future prosperity of the village, and many traders would have seen a considerable loss in income if we had not been able to find a way to accommodate coaches.

"I am very pleased that Hacklings will continue to manage the coach park, and I would like to thank everyone for the patience they have shown during the discussions.”