Guernsey Press

Ruettes Tranquilles ‘should be 15mph by law’

REDUCING speed limits on Ruettes Tranquilles has been supported by several islanders who live in the lanes.

Published
Ruettes Tranquilles have a recommended speed of 15mph for vehicles but by law are either 25mph or 35mph. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 26591943)

The Development & Planning Authority has written to several committees regarding how the IDP policies may facilitate their ongoing work, such as ‘placing the 15mph speed limit of Ruettes Tranquilles on a statutory footing’.

Currently the lanes, which are found in all parishes except St Peter’s, St Peter Port and Torteval, have a recommended speed limit of 15mph for motor vehicles but are legally 25mph or 35mph.

Kenneth Marquis lives on a Ruettes Tranquille in St Martin’s and said that while a lower speed limit was a good idea, he was not sure all drivers would stick to it.

Another resident said often the small lanes are used as a short cut to avoid the main traffic queues.

‘I would support reducing the speed limits officially because people come tearing through these lanes and there’s blind corners.

‘There are definitely some small roads in St Peter’s that should be Ruettes Tranquilles with a lower speed limit,’ she said.

Green signs indicating the lanes show that priority should be given to walkers, horses and cyclists but dog-owner Pam Quertier said often it is the pedestrians that have to move out of the way of cars.

‘The small lanes in St Martin’s are used by a lot of school children and the traffic can be awful, it’s quite dangerous.’

She was in support of making the 15mph limit official and said she often finds it difficult to pull out of her driveway because cars go along the small lanes so quickly.

‘It’s difficult to walk a dog around here as well because the cars come speeding up to you, they don’t give way like the sign says. 15mph is just a suggested speed so they often go as fast as they like.’

Sean and Sarah Walsh also supported the move and said drivers often well exceed the recommended limit.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if some motorbikes get up to 50mph in these lanes,’ Mr Walsh said.

Mrs Walsh was concerned how the reduced limits would be enforced but said horse riders in particular would benefit from vehicles going slower in the narrow lanes.