Kennebunkport explores options to limit tour bus congestion

KENNEBUNKPORT (WGME) — The economic impact of tour buses and cruise ships is more than $1 billion in Maine, but both have come under fire in several coastal communities.

Kennebunkport is the latest town looking to ease summer and fall tour bus congestion because of the limited space in Dock Square.

“The tour bus situation in Dock Square is an issue,” Kennebunkport Select Board Member David Bancroft said.

The debate is putting some year-round residents and local businesses at odds. Some people in Kennebunkport say tour busses are clogging up Dock Square in the summer and fall, making the area dangerous for pedestrians, and they say some bus drivers ignore local ordinances governing them.

“I have witnessed motor coaches violating numerous town codes and causing safety issues,” Kennebunkport resident Dorset Star said.

Some year-round residents told the Kennebunkport Select Board they support further limiting the number of tour buses in town. Tour bus companies took issue with that suggestion at a town meeting on the subject last week.

“Everybody wants to be green, but you don’t want to take 40 cars off the road to put them on a bus,” Jason Briggs with VIP Tour & Charter Bus Company said.

Local businesses say the money those tourists bring in, especially in September and October, allows them to stay open year-round.

“The reality is if we don’t have visitors coming in, we decrease our hours. Therefore, we don’t need as much staffing,” Abby Daggett from Maine Art Hill said.

“Without the tour buses, a lot of these stores wouldn’t be able to thrive. They’d kind of start to die,” Henry Howe, who works at The Candy Man, said.

Alisson’s Restaurant employs 83 local people; workers whose families depend on their full-time jobs.

The economic impact of tour buses and cruise ships is more than $1 billion in Maine, but both have come under fire in several coastal communities. (WGME)

“Without the tour buses, I don’t know that we would be able to stay open year-round,” Alisson’s General Manager Ashley Padget said.

Several people told the select board the town needs to better enforce the bus ordinances already on the books, like not idling buses or parking where they shouldn’t.

Right now, all tour buses load and unload on Cross Street. To ease congestion, some suggest additional drop-off locations or smaller shuttles to transport tourists from buses into Dock Square.

“I just hope we find a path in a good way to keep that business in town,” Federal Jack’s Owner Ben Fitzpatrick said.

Town leaders say they have no intention of banning tour buses, but they say it’s time to consider options to limit them for the upcoming season.