This Award will be won by an authority that has made extra effort to deliver outstanding facilities for coaches and their passengers.

The performance of tourist attractions and the quality of visits can be critically affected by local highway authorities’ policies on traffic management, parking and road network development.

Enlightened local authorities:

• encourage use of public transport
• provide facilities for visiting coaches, their drivers and their passengers
• invest in infrastructure for coaches
• promote access to their area by public transport, including coaches.

The Winners: Medway Council

Medway provides first class award-winning coach facilities for visiting groups. In recognition of the Council's commitment to coach travel industry, the facilities have won national and international awards since 2001, whilst the Medway Visitor Information Centre, in the heart of historic Rochester, has now become recognised as one of the best Tourist Information Centres in the UK.

The judges were impressed by the wide range of services provided to encourage coaches to visit the attractions in the area, not least the large free coach park, the excellent facilities available to visiting groups and the additional services provided for coaches including waste disposal, fresh water supply top up and the well-equipped drivers' rest room.

Added to this, the meet and greet service during special events, and the support given to tour organisers all go to show that Medway Council’s officers and Councillors recognise the value coach based tourism brings to the destination.

Runners Up: Cheshire West and Chester Council

Chester is an outstanding day out heritage destination which continues to attract thousands of coaches per year. A state of the art welcome facility at the main coach park together with a network of strategically located pick up and drop off points makes Chester a must see British City which attracts over eight million visitors a year.

It is an outstanding day destination and over 30 coaches can be accommodated in the central coach park.  An estimated 4,000 coaches a year use this coach park, adjacent to Chester's famous race course.

The judges welcome Chester's recognition of the importance of coach tourism to the city demonstrated by the freezing of parking rates, a short-stay tariff for 'whistle stop' visits, the meet and greet service for groups and the extension of the tourism year with a month-long festival and increased Christmas attractions.

Highly Commended

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Bury Council has been extremely proactive in attracting coach visits to the town.  Initially, a coach pack containing promotional items such as a free DVD, leaflets, maps and stickers are posted to prospective coach companies.

Once a visit has been arranged, there are clear instructions and signs for visiting coaches including brown tourist signs which lead coach drivers to the 15 dedicated, and free to use, coach parking bays on Market Street and to the additional coach drop off point outside the Tourist Information Office.

Visitors to the town in general can enjoy the town’s shopping and Cultural Quarter and will find Town Centre Ambassadors on duty around the area who can provide information and guidance on the Town’s facilities and offer. The Council promotes the use of public transport and coaches alike and has introduced Bus Lanes and provides free coach parking within Bury itself and free ‘overflow parking’ in the neighbouring town of Radcliffe.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

One of the most visited towns in the UK, Windsor has adapted well to the major challenge of managing coaches in this busy environment. The 74-space coach park is bookable in advance, and has differential charges with rates for one hour, up to four hours and up to 10 hours. Situated in Alma Road, the coach park offers a lift that takes visitors from the Coach Park into the Windsor Royal Station, a few minutes' walk from the main attractions. Other facilities for visitors and coach drivers at the coach park include toilets, restaurant, gift and souvenir shops

Who could be nominated?

District Councils, County Councils and Unitary Authorities throughout the United Kingdom.

…and by whom?

Readers of Coach and Bus Week magazine who are coach operators were asked to nominate towns and/or cities whose provision for coaches they had admired during the last 12 months. They were asked to explain why they thought the nominated town or city deserved this award.

Criteria and Entry Requirements:

A judging process supplemented the nominations of CBW readers, including an assessment of the authority’s overall tourism and transport policies, future plans and sustainability. The process may if necessary include an element of ‘mystery shopping’.