New Bridge lights would be a blight

It seems entirely wrong to me that a developer can look to have major road changes made so as to make their private scheme more workable rather than having to work around existing road layouts like any other individual would be expected to do. This proposal becomes more irksome when once again so-called experts have been imported to interfere in Guernsey`s traffic. These so-called imported traffic exports have hardly covered themselves in glory on previous forays to our island – for example the Town seafront, to mention just one case – and in many towns around the world traffic lights are being removed to enable traffic and people to move more freely.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD

Editor's footnote: Colin Macleod, chief executive of The Channel Islands Co-operative Society, responds:

It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the use of experts or changes to traffic layouts elsewhere in the island, however I am happy to comment on the proposed changes at the north end of the Bridge which are included in the planning application for the redevelopment of Leale's Yard.

Your reader claims that the roundabout junction has coped very successfully to date. However, traffic surveys have shown that it operates close to capacity at existing levels of traffic, with the Vale Avenue arm in particular often having a line of traffic queueing to enter the junction. Forecasts show that the junction would be over capacity within five years.

We have worked with the States of Guernsey prior to the planning application being submitted and will continue to do so. The proposals as they stand have not been formulated simply to provide access to the development site without due regard to other users and have in fact been formulated to be complementary to The Bridge Vision document previously developed by local stakeholders and with the specific aim of avoiding any significant loss of the important short-stay parking spaces.

We consider the access proposals as they stand to be a rational and reasonable approach to meeting these objectives and they also cater far better for more-vulnerable road users than the current arrangements.

However, if through our ongoing discussions with the States of Guernsey further changes are deemed beneficial, we will ensure that they are actioned to deliver a solution that is befitting of not only the development proposals but, most importantly, The Bridge, which is a vital but long under-invested part of St Sampson's.