Deputy Ross Le Brun had joined Deputy Sally Rochester in calling for an extra £1.9m. from the Pillar Two corporate tax windfall to be given to the Environment & Infrastructure Committee to fund a free public transport pilot .
But he said Stagecoach had raised concerns that it would not be able to meet increased demand on specific routes, such as the 41 and 42 to Vazon and Cobo.
‘I could not in good conscience continue to support an amendment that asks taxpayers to pay £1.9m. to offer people something for free but that they would not have even been able to use,’ he said.
Deputy Le Brun said the warning suggested the amendment would have succeeded in its aim of attracting more passengers.
He said that two years ago then E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez had told Deputy John Gollop that fares funded just 23% of the bus service. That share has since risen to about a third, while passenger numbers have fallen from the record levels seen in the first quarter of 2025, just before Stagecoach took over and fares went up.
‘Success should be measured by how many people use the service, not just how much in fares is taken,’ he said.
He said the fall in passengers as fares rose showed that cost was a barrier for some people, and that E&I needed to consider this in future.
‘The island absolutely needs an affordable, accessible and reliable public transport service for those who rely on it, who can’t afford to run a vehicle or who don’t have the ability to hold a driving licence or ride a bicycle due to disabilities.’
But he said the episode also highlighted a bigger issue.
‘We need a service with the capacity, reliability and reach to accommodate more people,’ he said.
‘My ambition is to see more people using our buses because they are an affordable, convenient and reliable alternative. Free fares could be part of that, but getting the service right has to come first.’
Last week, Peter Knight, managing director of Stagecoach South West, which runs Guernsey’s bus contract, said the company fully supported trialling a free service next year.
‘Everybody wins out of this, so we support it,’ he said.
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