The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has been awarded Coach-Friendly status by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) for its four gardens – RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, Hyde Hall in Essex, Rosemoor in Devon and Harlow Carr in Harrogate.
The award comes following consultation between the RHS groups teams and the CPT to ensure that the gardens fulfil the criteria for Coach Friendly status – from information provision and booking procedures for groups through to clear signage and dedicated, free coach parking.
Melissa Hackney, Groups Manager at the RHS said, “We are really pleased to have achieved Coach Friendly status for all four of our gardens. We are dedicated to giving a warm welcome to groups, so to get this endorsement which gives drivers and group travel organisers alike the confidence in our provision for them, is great recognition of what we have to offer. As well as having a dedicated groups team on a central level, we also have contacts at each individual garden and we have been working closely with the CPT to ensure we get everything just right.
“We treat access for groups and coaches as a real priority in our planning. At our flagship garden, RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, where we are opening a brand new welcome area and entrance in summer 2019, we have been liaising with them to ensure that our new parking is as well designed for coaches as possible. And at our new garden, RHS Garden Bridgewater in Greater Manchester which opens in 2020, if we could have applied for CFT before opening we would have done!”
Congratulating the RHS, Andy Warrender, CPT’s Coaching Manager said, “I am delighted to present not just one but four Royal Horticultural Society sites with CPT’s prestigious Coach Friendly award. The RHS and also staff at the accredited locations each recognise the valuable contribution the coaching industry makes to tourism and tourist attractions right across the country.
“Each RHS site has gone to great lengths to make sure that all visitors arriving by coach, including the driver, experience a warm and easy hassle-free welcome to the attraction.
“These internationally-renowned gardens all provide priority facilities for coach passengers and these are located within close proximity of the main entrances. I would like to thank them all for their commitment to coaches and coach passengers, and for all the work they have done in recent months to make sure they adhere to the high standards laid out down the Coach Friendly scheme.”
