HMAA is concerned about the impact of Melbourne City Council banning all tour buses from Swanston Street. HMAA argues that the action will have an enormous impact on the city's tourism businesses and reputation.
From 1 November the Council will prohibit any vehicle with more than twelve seats from using Swanston Street between 7am and 7pm, although buses will still be allowed to travel east-west across Swanton Street in CBD, for example along Little Collins Street.
HMAA members and other accommodation facilities located in (or near) Swanston Street are very concerned about loss of trade. Many of the tour companies servicing hotels in Swanston Street have long-term contractual arrangements with both domestic and international agents to provide the highly valued door-to-door pick-up and drop-off service.
Tour companies through the Backpacker Operators Alliance of Victoria (BOAV) and Tourism Alliance Victoria (TAV) have also expressed their concern about the ban. TAV has raised the issue with the media to assist in advocating the needs of the tourism and accommodation sectors.
Denying tour buses access to Swanston Street jeopardises their ability to fulfill these obligations and provide the high level of service visitors to Melbourne have come to expect.
HMAA understands that the City of Melbourne have put in place traffic measures to counter the impacts of the ban, including alternative parking bays on Russell Street, a block away from Swanston Street.
HMAA believes that this is merely a relocation solution for the vehicles. It does not address the impact on visitor service or amenity. There would be no immediate access to shelter in inclement weather, no staff waiting at the door to assist with luggage. Mobility-impaired visitors would be seriously inconvenienced.
The access ban also prohibits the popular SkyBus airport shuttle, an invaluable service for tourists and locals alike, from operating in Swanston Street. Travellers departing from Swanston Street would only able to hail expensive taxis, with the more affordable pick-up and set-down services offered by SkyBus no longer available.
HMAA argue that Melbourne’s reputation as a safe and easy place to travel will not be enhanced by reducing bus access to hotels in Swanston street, and believe that the Council will need to add additional parking and traffic restrictions to ensure that bus bays in the CBD’s bus division routes are not blocked by couriers, delivery trucks etc. If this does not happen, the current city traffic problems will only worsen.
Melbourne has recorded strong visitor numbers this year, despite the GFC, swine flu and bushfires. To retain this level of visitation, and the economic benefits that go with it, it is imperative that the city continues to provide a high level of visitor and tourism services. Banning tour buses in Swanston Street is counter-productive, and will impact on the experience of hotel guests.
HMAA will continue to monitor the process of the ban, and will advocate against it in conjunction with Tourism Alliance Victoria and the Backpackers Operators Alliance of Victoria.
For further information on this ban, or to provide any feedback to HMAA on how the ban will impact on your business, please contact me.