LA City Council approves regulating tour bus operations on certain streets

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Los Angeles City Council approved to limit tour buses from driving down certain streets deemed unsafe by the city's Department of Transportation Tuesday night.

The vote could change the tour bus industry in the city, known for the double-decker buses that flock to popular tourist destinations.

The ordinance would restrict where tour buses can travel in Hollywood and surrounding areas as the city council and DOT officials say the buses are unsafe and block traffic, causing backups in already heavily congested areas with narrow streets.

The legislation, dubbed the "Unsafe Route Restrictions" ordinance, would allow cities to regulate tour bus operations. The measure gives DOT the authority to limit the routes buses use to shuttle tourists around Hollywood hotspots.

Under the new law, the city will also be allowed to issue fines. The vote comes after a flood of complaints from people over safety and gridlock. The mayor still needs to sign it, but is expected to go into effect in April.

Regulatory efforts originally started in 2017, during former Gov. Jerry Brown's fourth term, when the city council created a law that allowed local governments to restrict vehicles to certain roads.

L.A. City Councilmember David Ryu - who represents the 4th District, which includes Hollywood - is spearheading the effort.

The L.A. area, including Hollywood, sees about 100 tour buses on the roads daily.