A proposal to prohibit tour buses over a certain size from a portion of downtown Reykjavík was approved by the city’s Environmental and Planning Committee last week.
RÚV reports that buses longer than eight metres will be prohibited from traveling from within the blue area shown above, with the exception of the streets of Snorrabraut, Gamlu Hringbraut, Njarðargata, Eiríksgata, Hverfisgata, Lækjargata, Fríkirkjuvegur, Sóleyjargata, Vonarstræti, Tryggvagata, Aðalstræti and Túngata.
In other words, those big group tour buses will no longer be permitted on narrow streets in downtown Reykjavík.
However, the new rule appears to operate on the honour system. Ólafur Bjarnason, the transportation manager for the city, says there will be no penalties for buses who disobey the demarcation. Rather, tourist businesses have themselves asked the city for clearer guidelines on what they may and may not do. He added that as tourist buses often start their journeys around the city in the very early morning hours, residents have often complained about the noise they create.
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