THE LEADING players in London’s coach tourism industry met on 8 December at Visit London to sign an agreement for action to improve coach facilities in London.

Senior representatives from London boroughs, police, coach operators, tourism bodies and Transport for London signed the Concordat. The signatories are setting out to achieve a consistent approach on issues including routes, parking provisions and arrangements for special events.

TfL Managing director of Surface Transport, Peter Hendy says: "London receives 2.8 million coach visitors a year and they contribute nearly £300 million to the capital's economy. We're aiming to achieve a consistent approach across London on issues such as coach access to key tourist attractions, overnight parking and picking up and setting down facilities.”

The document is a direct result of the work carried out by the London Coach Forum; a London body facilitated by TfL. Representatives from local government, tourism, and the coach industry will manage and monitor the Concordat. The Forum will work to make sure the needs of the industry are met and maintains good practice.

THE EUROPEAN UNION economy is set to weaken as a result of the Conciliation agreement on driving and rest time rules, and the digital tachograph legislation.

The agreement is in conjunction with the International Road Transport Union (IRU), which recently joined the Confederation of Road Transport Enforcement (CORTE), a new Brussels-based organisation uniting various national road transport enforcement bodies. They will establish a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between enforcement authorities on practical issues that arise from implementation of the new Driving and Rest Time Rules Directive.

New legislation involving driving and rest time rules, and the digital tachograph will seriously undermine the road transport’s flexibility, it’s competitiveness and its ability to support the European economy according to IRU general delegate Hubert Linssen.

“The EU Institutions will now have to take full responsibility for the loss of industry competitiveness and jobs, reduced tourism, disruption to the internal market, and the overall economic damage that will inevitably follow from their decisions,” says Linssen.

THE BRITISH Travel Trade Fair 2006 will get underway on March 1 & 2 and Earl Spencer has been announced as guest of honour at this year’s exhibition along with Althorp being one of the key themes of BTTF’s focus on diversity.

Event director Graeme Barnett says: "We are immensely proud to welcome Earl Spencer and Althorp. BTTF 2006 will focus on the range of travel and tourism opportunities available right here in the UK where the emphasis will be on the diversity of the UK tourism product. Althorp exemplifies this country's proud history and rich heritage.”

Althorp is one of the UK’s leading visitor attractions, dating back to more than 500 years and has been in the Spencer family for 19 generations.

BTTF is an established exhibition dedicated to travel and tourism products and services from the UK and Ireland. Held annually, the event is organised on behalf of VisitBritain and will be held at the NEC in Birmingham in conjunction with VisitScotland, the Wales Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland.