‘No better time to Beat The Jam, go by bike’
TWO local organisations are urging islanders to Beat the Jam, as more than 40 sets of roadworks slow down motorists.
The Guernsey Bicycle Group and the Better Journeys Project said that due to the roadworks creating large amounts of congestion, many journeys can now be made quicker by cycling.
‘If you can use a bike for your journey, you can avoid any diversions, cycle on quieter roads, and cut your journey time,’ said GBG committee member Ben Craddock.
‘You just need to dismount where directed and be courteous to all that you meet.’
Of the 45 roads currently closed, 34 explicitly do not apply to cyclists and nine allow cyclists, but have sections where cyclists should dismount past work.
Only two roadworks prohibit cyclists from riding completely – fewer than 5% of all closures.
‘This would be a great time to plan journeys so that where possible islanders use a bike,’ said Better Journeys Project director Barrie Duerden.
Through traffic monitoring, the Better Journeys Project noticed that the ratio of vehicles to cyclist rarely changes and even when volume drops in the school holidays, there is no change in the mix between cars, bikes and pedestrians.
‘Commuters simply stick to their habits, we rely too heavily on our cars,’ said Mr Duerden.
While the organisations acknowledge that car journeys are often necessary, they also remark that one of the biggest causes of congestion is single occupancy vehicles.
The Better Journeys Project encourages islanders to look at options such as car sharing, getting the bus or walking where possible to ease traffic for others who need to use a car.
‘We need to help our wider community and embrace the Guernsey Together spirit,’ said Mr Duerden.
. A map of all road works around the island with dates and descriptions can be accessed at roadworks.gov.gg.
