Darren Davison said the first he knew of the idea was when a regular burst angrily into the nearby pub last Friday waving a copy of the Guernsey Press, which featured a report on plans being drawn up by Education, Sport & Culture for a grating cover over the stream to allow the lane to be used as a cycle route.
‘There’s been a lot of talk in the pub about it ever since,’ he said.
‘We’re right in the heart of the community here and everyone has something to do with the Water Lanes. People are quite passionate about it.’
While the petition started life online, he and his wife Natalie have had printouts made, which can be signed in the pub. He was also hoping to get it into nearby shops.
‘The Water Lanes clearly hold deep historical and ecological significance, not to mention their role as a rare peaceful sanctuary in a rapidly changing urban landscape,’ the couple wrote in their introduction to the petition.
Installing the grid to allow cyclists to use the lanes would mean the loss of a beautiful and tranquil part of St Peter Port, they said. ‘Please sign the petition so we can enjoy these historic lanes in their natural state.’
As of yesterday afternoon there were about 200 signatories to the online petition.
A new Facebook group has also been set up in the wake of the Guernsey Press story about the plans, The Water Lanes Diary, which had nearly 300 members as of yesterday.
There are already several posts from people who were upset and worried about what impact the proposed grid might have on wildlife and the tranquillity of the area.
Residents have already written to deputies and Traffic & Highway Services to express their concerns about a potential increase in anti-social behaviour and they are also worried about additional street lighting, also being proposed, exacerbating the problem.
The plans came to light when a regular lanes walker bumped into two parish douzeniers who were looking at the street lights.
One of those was douzenier Phil Smith, who yesterday was walking there with his dog. ‘I have responsibility for the street lights,’ he said.
‘I made sure people nearby were told about the plans.’
The parish had been approached by Education, Sport & Culture saying it wanted three more street lights installed in the area.
‘They were going to pay for the lights to be put there and they wanted us to pick up the cost of running them,’ said Mr Smith.
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