For a number of reasons the contribution of excursion coaches to the overall pattern of travel for leisure purposes has not been greatly studied so far by transport and tourism researchers. This inquiry reviews the available evidence on the use of coach trips and then reports on a new study conducted in central-southern England, which shows that these excursions offer a most cost-effective way of making leisure trips and that they greatly improve the community's access to recreational attractions. Environmental advantages are also identified which suggest that government agencies might attempt more than they currently manage to develop the public's use of coach trips.
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