The city of Durham and the county market town of Northallerton have become the latest destinations to earn CPT Coach Friendly status. In Durham on 12 August to present the Coach Friendly certificate, CPT Regional Manager Andrew McGuinness said: “CPT is delighted to see Durham gain Coach Friendly status, precisely because it is the kind of destination that can really gain from holding this accreditation. This award provides recognised assurance to coach operators, drivers, and their passengers that they will be well catered for and welcomed by Durham so they can make the most of its rich array of historic venues.”
Managing Director at Visit County Durham Michelle Gorman added: “Coach Friendly Accreditation is an important standard by which many coach companies and their customers measure a destination’s readiness and welcome for group visits. Through achieving the accolade, Durham can pledge that it can manage coach tourism professionally and deliver a great experience for visitors.”
Meanwhile, in Northallerton, Alex Shennib, Northallerton BID Manager, said: “Northallerton BID has led the coach-friendly initiative since its re-election in 2022, and is delighted to see its efforts gain national recognition through coach-friendly accreditation. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Town Team, comprised of Northallerton BID, North Yorkshire Council, Northallerton Town Council, Northallerton Tourist Information Centre, and Hambleton Community Action. They have all worked tirelessly over the past two years on this scheme, and their hard work is being acknowledged through this accreditation. We hope that all future visitors have a wonderful experience and enjoy all that Northallerton has to offer.”
Welcoming Northallerton to the scheme CPT UK Coach Manager Phil Smith added: “Northallerton’s BID and its partners are to be congratulated for doing a lot of work to win this valuable status. CPT’s Coach Friendly scheme recognises the commitment made by a key stakeholder to work in partnership to improve coach parking and provide convenient pick up/drop off locations and other facilities for passengers and drivers. By going ‘coach friendly’ a town or tourist attraction will help curb congestion, improve air quality and do more to help preserve their unique local environment while developing more sustainable tourism that supports thriving local businesses.”
