Issue - meetings

The Chair welcomed Emma Thornton, CEO of Visit Cambridge and Beyond to the meeting; Sonia Hanson, Traffic Manager and Campbell Ross-Bain, Bus Operation & Facilities Manager, both from Cambridgeshire County Council.

 

Emma Thornton detailed the following points:

 

       i.          The role of Visit Cambridge and Beyond was to grow the value of the visitor economy by promoting Cambridge and the surrounding area and providing the best possible visitor experience. It was a non-profit organisation with no political or geographical boundaries.

     ii.          The main objective was to develop strategic alliances with partners in and outside of Cambridge to change the perception of the city as a key day trip destination.

   iii.          The organisation was 96% reliant on earned income with only 4% of its funding now coming from public funding. Compared to similar bodies nationally the organisation was unique with only Oxford operating a similar model but with higher public funding. 

   iv.          The organisation also run the Visitor Information Centre which dealt with around 350,000 face to face enquires; 500,000 telephone / e-mail queries and were responsible for the private and public guided walking tour service used by 80,000 visitors a year.

    v.          Between 2013-2015 there had been a significant increase in visitors’ numbers with a slight increase in 2015-2016 which were as follows:

5.4million visitors in 2013

7.4 million visitors in 2015

7.6 million visitors in 2016

   vi.          Tourism was responsible for 20% of employment in the city.

 vii.          There had never been a joint strategy for managing tourism in the greater Cambridge area. This new initiative now brought the opportunity to spread the economic value gained from tourism to the surrounding area, encouraging visitors to stay longer and explore further.

viii.          The aim is to change the perception of Cambridge as a day trip destination, but this is deeply engrained and would take some time. 

 

Comments from the Committee and members of the public on Queen’s Road:

 

       i.          The number of coaches parking to bring in day tourists to the City had increased considerably over the years. The road was not built for this volume of coaches.

     ii.          At weekends in the summer the area was intolerable with an overflow of coaches breaking various traffic codes: parking on double yellow lines; double parking; parking on grass verges and parking beyond the city boundary.

   iii.          Over the summer the Police had been called out to deal with dangerous parking.

   iv.          Little or no enforcement was undertaken to send a message to the coach tourist companies.

    v.          One enforcement officer should be allocated to permanently patrol the road in the height of the tourist season.

   vi.          A review was urgently needed with alternative options investigated.

 vii.          Would not be surprised if a fatality occurred.

viii.          Coach parking in the park and rides sites across the city were not being used.

   ix.          The park and ride sites were crucial to negate the problem and suggested that coaches should be forced to terminate at these sites.

    x.          The road was a major trunk road into the city; when the road was blocked with coaches this created major traffic jams into the city and impacted on slowing down the flow of traffic elsewhere while drivers searched for alternative routes.

   xi.          Asked if the coach companies were aware of the alternative coach parking on Chesterton and Trumpington Road but also questioned if Chesterton Road was the right location.

 xii.          Large amounts of litter were left behind.

xiii.          Residents of Newham would be able to advise officers when the peak parking time of coaches occurred.

xiv.          Some coach companies offered a 45 minute visit to the city as part of a day tour and questioned what financial benefits this would bring to the Cambridge economy.

xv.          Did not believe that the County Highways department were aware of the scale of the problem.

xvi.          A complete ban was required on Queen’s Road rather than providing increased parking capacity.

xvii.          Suggested the installation of CCTV to prevent the dangerous parking.

 

Other issues raised from the Committee and members of the public.

 

       i.          Suggested a tourism tax supporting culture and community in the city.

     ii.          Day tourist should be discouraged making it harder to visit the city for a few hours whilst encouraging tourists to stay longer.

   iii.          Tourists should be encouraged to disperse outside of the City 

   iv.          Inspire tourists to stay longer by  providing a ‘Cambridge Pass’ which would give free or discounted entry to places of interest; discounted or free bus / train travel.

    v.          Important that the city remained inclusive and open to everyone which was something to be proud of.

   vi.          An integrated approach to the matter was required.

 vii.          The University should take a more proactive and joined up approach to encourage visitors to stay longer.

viii.          Queried if it was possible to extend the tourist season in the city by offering discounts and incentives off peak season.

   ix.          Suggested joint funding between the County and the City Council to finance the increased capacity of one permanent enforcement officer to deal with the issue of tourist coach parking.

 

In response Emma Thornton and County officers made the following statements:

 

       i.          Funding from the Greater Cambridge Partnership had been allocated to expand coach parking at the Trumpington park and ride site with an additional five spaces. This site was also used as a collection point for local schools as a pick up and drop off point for local pupils; this would remove a large volume of cars from the city’s road. Therefore the expansion was much needed as the coaches could use this site in-between drop off and pickups.

     ii.          Data showed that the Madingley Road park and ride site was used by coaches. The site could hold up to 25 coaches if required and had done so in the past.

   iii.          A bid had been submitted to the Greater Cambridge Partnership for funding to canvas the tourist coach industry to determine how often and when they visited the city, and to promote alternative parking on Trumpington Road and Chesterton Road.

   iv.          Investigation had determined that it was not clear to the coach tourist companies and the independent day tourist that the city centre could be accessed from other parts of the inner ring road; signage needed to be improved.

    v.          Suggested coach parking spaces could be increased in the short term on Queen’s Road while an alternative solution was found.

   vi.          67% of international visitors believed that England stopped at London. Visit Cambridge and Beyond were working with other organisations to change visitor’s behaviour by building itineraries to outside destinations which were accessible from and around Cambridge. This was a key issue in changing visitor’s behaviour.

 vii.          Other heritage cities such as Bath, Oxford and York all had confirmed they experienced the same problem with tourist coach parking and had found no fixed solution.

viii.          The problem of tourist coach parking was magnified by the city’s compact narrow street scene.

   ix.          Most of the attractions in Cambridge were free so it would be difficult to promote a ‘Cambridge Pass’.

    x.          Visit Cambridge and Beyond were currently supporting the development of a new initiative called ‘ The Cambs Pass’. This was a promotional pass that saved money across family attractions, restaurants and many other different businesses in Cambridgeshire.

   xi.          Proposed that the decision of tour operators to drop off on Queens Road was the easier position, because the directions to the city centre was short and direct. To be dropped off on Chesterton Road would be a ‘voyage of discovery’. 

 xii.          Cambridge was a city for all seasons, with the peak times for tourism in July and August.

xiii.          Not aware there was the legislation nationally to introduce a tourist tax.

xiv.          Important that the city did not isolate itself from visitors.

xv.          The visitor economy was vital to Cambridge.

xvi.          Due to the lack of resources it was not possible to have an enforcement officer to permanently patrol Queen’s Road.

xvii.          There were three permanent coach parking spaces on Queens Road with an additional three opened in the summer. There were a further three on Trumpington Road and on Chesterton Road.

xviii.          Communication with tourist coach companies was critical in reducing this problem.