Hollywood's Famous Tour Busses Muzzled

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Tour bus operators in Los Angeles will face new route and noise restrictions under two motions approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles City Council.

One motion directs the city attorney to draft an ordinance requiring the use of headphones for passengers on all tour buses rather than using loudspeakers, and the other instructs city staff to report on which streets are unsafe for tour buses to drive, along with a request that the city attorney report on how to adopt the list of unsafe streets either through a resolution or ordinance.

Both motions were approved on an 11-0 vote.

Councilman David Ryu, whose district includes the Hollywood Hills, introduced both motions on Sept. 29 after Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 25, which grants California municipalities more power to regulate tour bus operators.

"Today is a big win for public safety in Los Angeles," Ryu said. "This has been a years-long issue in my district, where dozens of tour buses are disturbing neighbors and putting tourists and residents at risk with dangerous maneuvers on narrow streets. At long last, we can secure peace and safety on our hillside roads."

City News Service; (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)