The man, who asked not to be named, was an instructor for 25 years. He said officers could carry out random checks on roads known to have issues with pavement surfing, as they do with speed checks.
He believed it would take only a few prosecutions to make people more aware and slow down when they have to mount the kerb.
‘Another solution could be to make roads one-way,' he said, adding that saving even one life would make a strategy to educate and deter motorists worthwhile.
Deputy Ross Le Brun has also called for more action, and agreed that police could do much more than they have in the past.
‘I think we’ve become so accustomed to vehicles driving on pavements that we’ve lost sight of how dangerous it is for the vulnerable users who are exposed to it,’ he said.
He noted that the last mention of pavement driving on Guernsey Police’s social media was on 28 January 2025, more than 20 months ago.
A freedom of information request he submitted confirmed that there was no specific speed limit for driving on a pavement.
‘That raises a simple question: how do we ensure consistent enforcement when there is no objective standard?’ said Deputy Le Brun.
He believed a 5mph pavement limit would foster a new culture, pointing out that most motorists keep to speed limits even when police are not checking.
He also questioned whether parents and children had seen officers monitoring roads such as Longue Rue, Collings Road or Route des Capelles, where pavement driving is known to happen frequently.
The Guide Dogs group has also urged the States to engage directly with disabled people on road safety.
‘We know that unexpected obstacles and vehicle movements within pedestrian spaces create significant challenges for people with a vision impairment, along with other disabled people and vulnerable individuals,’ said a spokesman.
Guernsey Police did not respond directly to the suggestions.
‘Pavement surfing remains a contentious issue in Guernsey, but the bottom line is that it is illegal,’ said a spokesman.
‘Cruising along the pavement at speed puts pedestrians at serious risk and makes exiting a driveway very dangerous.’
He said the law allowed exceptions only for passing obstructions, which police understand is often necessary in the island. Drivers who have to mount the pavement must slow to a near stop, wait for any pedestrians to pass, and move along it at a crawl until past the obstruction.
Anyone seen driving recklessly on a pavement could face a fine.
The Living Streets road safety group is asking people to report any road incidents that concern them. The Community Roadwatch form can be found here.
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