Residents living in picturesque UK hotspots have hit out at "overtourism", with long traffic queues and overflowing car parks affecting several villages in Gloucestershire, south west England. As many as 14.4 million cars were expected to hit the roads throughout the August bank holiday weekend, according to the RAC and traffic monitoring site INRIX.
Villages overwhelmed by visitors
Residents in the villages of Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Salcombe have complained as Brits flood to the postcard locations. Photos show overcrowded streets, traffic queues and overflowing car parks. One pensioner says she no longer ventures into her village because it is swamped by tourists and coaches.
Kris Watts, 71, says life in Bibury has become increasingly difficult as visitors flock to the Cotswolds village, famous for its idyllic cottages. Gloucestershire County Council has introduced trial coach drop-off points in an attempt to tackle congestion, but residents claim some drivers are still stopping elsewhere in the village.
Resident describes daily struggles
Kris, who has lived there for 10 years, said: "I don't go into the village at weekends now, it's that bad. We knew it was a touristy village when we moved here, but since covid it's just got worse and worse."
"There are sometimes up to 10 big coaches arriving in one day. They don't bring any benefit to the village, because the visitors usually only stay for 40 minutes and have a walk around - before getting back on the coach."
Kris, a retired private school office manager, filmed the traffic problems after becoming frustrated by the congestion. Her footage showed a coach stopped near Swan Bridge rather than using the new drop-off area, while another vehicle was parked at the roadside further through the village.
Similar problems in Salcombe and Bourton
Photos from Salcombe show residents facing similar problems, with car parks overflowing and usually quiet streets packed with tourists. Kris said: "There's nowhere for residents to park. I used to be able to drive down into the village to get a newspaper and a cup of coffee, but I can't do that anymore."
She said locals have even resorted to putting up signs in several languages to stop tourists wandering onto private property. Kris added: "One woman found five cars on her driveway owned by people who were about to go and have a picnic in a nearby field."
Photos from Bourton-on-the-Water also show swathes of tourists clambering over its historic arched stone bridges spanning the River Windrush, while families pack the riverbank for picnics. Other hotspots include Bakewell in the Peak District, where images show traffic trailing through the village.
