As reported in CBW1379, an Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is proposed for Oxford city centre.
A further proposal that may affect coach companies visiting Oxford in the meantime is a proposed £50 ‘Tourist Coach Tax’.
This follows on from the decision by Edinburgh councillors to back a levy for tourists staying in the city to pay an extra £2-per-night charge added to the hotel room fee.
Oxford is considering a similar scheme if the Scottish parliament passes legislation to allow the proposals to be enforced.
However this levy may be aimed at coach operators bringing tourists into the city centre. Councillor Mary Clarkson, Board Member for Culture and City Centre, told the Oxford Mail: “In Edinburgh tourists, on average, stay several nights but it’s much less than that in Oxford – some tourists only stay for about an hour and a half.
“We want to encourage tourists to stay longer in Oxford so we wouldn’t be in favour of levy any kind of overnight tax, or tax on hotels – I think a tax on tourist coaches would be a much better idea.
“You could ask each tourist coach to pay about £50 – £1 per person – and the money could be spent on improving facilities in the city for tourists including cleaning and toilets.”
Coach operators have faced a number of issues when visiting the city centre over the last few years.
The coach park on Oxpens Road was closed whilst the new Westgate shopping centre was being built so that it could be used a car park.
The facility has never reverted to a coach park and visiting coaches now have to travel back out of the city and use the Park & Ride site on the Abingdon Road.
Additionally, Parking enforcement for tourist coaches in St Giles is also in operation during the summer months, with a strict time limit for setting down and picking up.
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