Traffic and Highway Services apologises after buses unable to access PEH

Ongoing modernisation work at the PEH has meant that CT Plus buses were unable to get into the PEH grounds for a time, and this affected a lot of patients who used the service.

One of these was Megan McGuigan who has multiple sclerosis and pays frequent visits to the PEH.

Her usual practice is to get a taxi to the hospital and then a bus home, which she has to take to Town first.

But on arriving for one of her recent appointments she discovered that there was no bus service.

‘I said “You’ve got to be joking. That’s so ridiculous”,’ she said.

‘I ended up having to spend £10 to get a taxi home. How is there no bus service to a hospital?’

She called CT Plus on getting home to tell them that in her opinion this was unacceptable and she also contacted the States to express her annoyance and was told that there was nothing they could do to help.

She said it seemed ironic that this happened after the States Assembly had approved a new anti-discrimination law and, given her illness, she felt she was being discriminated against.

A CT Plus spokesman said that as part of the modernisation programme at the PEH, the way buses accessed the grounds was changed in 2019.

This involved the loss of the turning point near the Porters’ Lodge entrance and as a result buses had to use access roads from the Oberlands and Le Vauquiedor, one to enter and the other to leave.

‘At the time, CT Plus advised both the Traffic and Highways department and the hospital organisation teams that additional roadworks at any of these two entrance points would then prevent access to the hospital grounds,’ he said.

The company suggested that a loop around the back of the hospital could be used to prevent any passenger disruption.

This was not implemented, but the spokesman said that at one point the hospital did remove enough parking to enable a bus to safely make a turning to return to the exit it just came from, should there be any roadworks.

However, this method is no longer in place owing to parking being at a premium.

A Traffic and Highways Services spokesman said it was sorry that buses were unable to service the PEH during the road closure at the hospital entrance.

‘We’re doing everything possible to ensure it does not happen again,’ he said.

‘As the modernisation of the hospital progresses there are more works due to take place in the coming months, and we’re in discussion with the hospital team and CT Plus on ensuring access to the PEH campus bus stops are maintained.’

Buses are now operating through the hospital again.