Moving to East Arm makes sense – Ferryspeed manager
FERRYSPEED would like to move its St Sampson’s depot to the East Arm of St Peter Port Harbour.
Martyn Langlois, general manager of the Guernsey operation, said that leaving its Longue Hougue Lane site would make sense from the point of view of health and safety and would cut down on thousands of movements of heavy vehicles along the east coast every year.
In the first six months of this year alone, the company saw an average of about 1,300 movements of lorries towing 40ft trailers between the harbour and Longue Hougue Lane, leading to a seafront ‘full of Ferryspeed lorries’.
Mr Langlois’ suggestion followed the States discussing the enhancement of the eastern seaboard, as well as talk of the reclamation of the area south of the Longue Hougue site: ‘We said that any reclamation shouldn’t be done at Longue Hougue, it should be done at the East Arm of the harbour,’ he said.
There had also been concerns from St Sampson’s douzaine after Longue Hougue Lane was closed during lockdown, which led to a few complaints: ‘We didn’t want to reopen the road after phase five, but the constables had, I think, four complaints,’ he said.
He invited parish officials to see the site for themselves: ‘They were staggered at the amount of movements we do on a daily basis.’
He gave them a short presentation on the business and explained his view that it would be better for all if it was relocated to St Peter Port Harbour.
This led to the parish giving
his idea its backing, while at the same time calling on the States to come up with an island infrastructure plan.
Mr Langlois said he understood concerns that a depot might not look ‘pretty’, but it could be designed sympathetically: ‘You could build whatever you want in a format that would be functional but at the same time look “pretty”.
‘This isn’t just about Ferryspeed. It’s about us serving the island,’ said Mr Langlois.
If such a move is not possible, his next option would be for Ferryspeed to redevelop its existing site.
Ferryspeed’s main premises is owned by the States, but Mr Langlois said he has twice been denied a request to buy it, or to be given a 75-year or 99-year-lease.
The building is 55 years old and he said the company would be prepared to undertake its redevelopment: ‘It needs to be knocked down and rebuilt.’
He also believes it would make sense for the States’ driver and vehicle licensing operation to be moved away from such a busy commercial zone.
If that happened the company would look to knock down the building which houses its offices to help solve its problem with staff parking.
Douzaine's concerns. See story under News tab
Ferryspeed's operations
As well as handling items for a long list of well-known local companies, some of which use the site to store seasonal products year-round, handling large parcels and big items from TVs to furniture that are delivered to private individuals, Ferryspeed is the only company in Guernsey that handles bulk shipments of frozen food, distributing it across the island to all the supermarkets.
It employs 102 staff who between them deal with some 360,000 pallets and cages of goods on the site each year.
Its operations are spread over a total of about 92,000sq. ft and across several buildings, most of which it leases.
Even though the lane has a sign advising that through traffic is not allowed, motorists occasionally use it as a short cut between Bulwer Avenue and Grandes Maisons Road and pedestrians will also venture through the lane, which at times can be busy with large lorries delivering and collecting loads.
General manager Martyn Langlois said that purely on health and safety grounds, it would be better if the lane was closed to the public.
