Skegness Hoping to Address Coach Park Issue

Skegness is a small seaside town on the North Sea’s Lincolnshire coast. It is a town that is very popular among tourists during the summer season, yet one that relies on local residents to continue thriving year-round. Some residents say that in order for the town to remain attractive to tourists, something has to be done about coach drivers not using the local coach park.

The coach park is in a designated area intended for coaches to pull up and drop off passengers. From there the passengers walk to the various destinations within the town. Yet coach drivers tend to ignore the park, preferring to drop and pick up passengers in front of local businesses.

The business owners claim the practice is harming them by driving away local customers who do not want anything to do with the tourist trade. New businesses do not want to move into empty space because they don’t want the hassle either. A coalition of local business leaders is now encouraging the Skegness Town Council to take control of the coach park so that the problem can be addressed.

Drivers are apparently eschewing the park for two reasons: it does not provide the necessary facilities passengers need immediately upon disembarking, and there is nothing for drivers to do as they wait hours on end for passengers to return. Just by installing loos and encouraging a café or two to open up could be all that is necessary to change things.

As for the Skegness Town Council, they are not all on board with the idea of taking over the coach park. Proponents say the installation of pay toilets could offset the town’s maintenance costs, while critics claim coach drivers will continue dropping passengers closer to the seaside in order to increase their tips. For now, any plans from the council are on hold until members can agree among themselves on the best course of action.

Concern for Mutual Benefit

The situation in Skegness is illustrative of the fact that we all need to pay attention to what we do and how it affects others. In this particular situation there seems to be no concern for mutual benefit among either the coach drivers or the business owners. Nevertheless, a little investigation would probably reveal a solution that works for both parties.

Until the matter is resolved, a more appropriate course of action might be for drivers to drop passengers at the seaside and then proceed to the coach park for the day. There are enough cafés and other facilities within reasonable walking distance of the park. Some coach drivers are already doing this, so it is clear it can be done.

About the HGV Training Centre

The HGV Training Centre is a leading provider of professional training services in the UK. With more than 45 locations, there is one reasonably close to you. We offer a full range of services including training for the coach driver, HGV operator, and fleet manager. Contact us today for all of your driver training needs.