Drivers will be unable to "abuse" bus spots at Stratford Park if a council crackdown goes ahead, according to a coach company.

Cars will be allowed to stay at Stratford Park for only 12 hours under plans being voted on by district councillors tonight.

A spokesperson for Eastington-based KB Coaches welcomed the plan, telling the SNJ it would reduce the "abuse of coach parking" at Stratford Park.

''We quite often struggle for parking to drop the passengers off because of the abuse of the coach parking," they said.

"So this would be beneficial for us, but the need for coach parking for visiting companies is a must and should be addressed.''

District councillors are considering rule changes to their car parks tonight.

They will decide whether to boost the council's enforcement powers at Stratford Park, including by limiting the time buses and coaches can stay to two hours.

A spokesperson for another company, Nailsworth-based Rover European Travel, said the time limit was "sufficient" for its work with schools, but warned against reviving now dropped plans to end free parking at Stratford Park.

 

They said: "We bring a number of local schools into Stratford Park for swimming and the two hour restriction would normally be a sufficient amount of time for this.

"Were there to be any charges involved at any point though, these would obviously have to be passed on the schools whose budgets are already very tight."

They added that tourism could be hit by the limit.

They said: "We do feel that enforcing a two hour restriction could discourage any incoming tourist coaches to Stroud and therefore a loss of income to the town.

"It could also affect visitors to the Stroud Museum which is a popular tourist attraction."

A spokesperson for Stroud District Council added: “Usage of Stratford Park car park at key times is heavy, and time-limited parking for buses and coaches is intended to ease this."