Give 'Better Transport' a chance
The track record of the States in committing to traffic strategies is not strong. We’ve had traffic strategies agreed before the source of the money – paid parking – was not committed to, leaving the whole thing floundering and never satisfactorily resolved.
Last week the optimistically-titled Better Transport Plan was unveiled. Over the next few years it intends to 'drive' transport changes with the introduction of measures including new footpaths, more bike paths, targeted road widening, and some residents-only roads.
Some of them will be paid for from existing States budgets. Housing developers will be expected to pick up the bill for others.
So far, the pro-alternative transport rhetoric so typical of the ‘Committee Against Cars’, as some of its keyboard opponents would dub Environment & Infrastructure, is clear to see.
But everyone accepts that if we end up with another 1,000 homes in the north of the island over the next few years, something has to change on our roads. So this plan needs to be given a chance to succeed.
As the Guernsey Bicycle Group says today: ‘One or two interventions will not create the positive change we need – the States now needs to commit to urgent and sequenced delivery so that people can benefit from completing joined-up and full journeys on improved routes.’