Guernsey Press

'Transport carrots need to be paid for'

STATES members want the transport strategy 'carrots' but do not want to pay for them, the Environment minister has concluded.

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The department announced yesterday it had been forced to delay the signing of a new contract with CT Plus after losing the funding mechanism for the new £4.4m. deal – the controversial width and emissions charges.

Yvonne Burford said the board would be meeting Treasury next week to discuss how to move the strategy forward.

'Clearly the island needs a bus contract. That hasn't changed,' she said.

'As I explained in the Assembly, we're not going ahead before talking to Treasury. We don't expect to be signing the contract before then.'

States members rejected Environment's revised legislation for width and emissions charges by 21 votes to 23, forcing the department to withdraw its original, harsher, proposals.

When asked what other funding options were available to the department, Deputy Burford said: 'The States had the opportunity for fuel duty, but it was turned down twice last spring. With paid parking, although that was approved by 26 votes to 19, that still has to come back to the States as legislation and the States will have the opportunity to discuss it then and, of course, there is the Al Brouard requete.'

That will be debated in February and would delay the introduction of paid parking until Environment has produced a report showing how successful the new bus service has been.

'What this tells me is that the States want the carrots, but don't want to pay for them.'

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