Increased traffic at Victoria Avenue a concern for residents

The St Sampson’s road is home to Victoria Park stadium, the new home of Guernsey football, as well as karting business Karting Guernsey and several gyms, which are located in the former Guernsey Bowl building.

Residents told the Guernsey Press that the rise in traffic accessing the road had meant finding a parking space had become almost impossible, while the speed with which some vehicles travelled represented an increased safety hazard for pedestrians.

Martin Le Prevost, who has lived along Victoria Avenue for nine years, said something needed to be done about the issue.

‘Since the football moved down here, I’ve never known it to be so bad,’ he said.

‘5pm or 5.30pm on weekdays is the worst time, so many people are coming up and down.’

‘You’ve got your Lionel Messis, Maya Le Tissiers and Max Verstappens all coming at once, as well as those going to the gyms.’

The road closes to all traffic except permit holders on matchdays for Guernsey FC’s men's team.

However, Mr Le Prevost said he would like to see the permit system extended to cover the women’s matches too, as their popularity meant traffic was starting to also pose another problem.

Guernsey FC director Nic Legg said the current arrangements for women’s fixtures would be reviewed in light of the concerns raised, and the club would continue to work closely with residents to manage any impact on the local area.

Mr Le Prevost added he would be supportive of traffic-slowing measures, such as speed bumps, to be implemented in order to curb what he said was a prevalent speeding problem along the road.

‘I have a 14-year-old daughter and a dog, so maybe I worry more than others, but I now purposely walk right on the edge of the pavement so that people have to slow down,’ he said.

‘You’d have thought they would anyway because they have to weave in and out of the parked cars, but they don’t.

‘With all that’s been done, it seems as though us residents have been forgotten about.’

Caroline Gallie, a Victoria Avenue resident for 17 years, said she and family members who visited her had been forced to park on yellow lines for a period because of the lack of space.

‘It’s chaos, but I’m not sure there’s much that can be done,’ she said.

‘I’ve had two cats of mine get hit by cars over the years as well.

‘With the number of activities based down here, you’re always going to get a lot of traffic.

‘I sometimes wonder how an ambulance would get through if there was an emergency, they’d have no chance.’

Jeff Wilson, who has lived along the road for two decades, agreed that speed bumps would be a good way to reduce traffic speed.

But he said the entry and exit to Victoria Park should have been designed differently.

‘They could have done a bypass through Pitronnerie Road.’

‘It’s just ridiculous what the situation has become now with the new football pitch.’