Speed guns instead of proposed 25mph limits

‘I completely agree with the Vale Douzaine Members’ views in the Press on 2 August from their Senior Constable Richard Leale. ‘Proposed 25mph speed limits a waste of time, says Douzaine.’

The proposed 25mph speed limits would be ‘a waste of time’.

As so often with so many States decisions these days they are not evidence-based and also have such questionable motivations behind them, as in this case more walking and cycling.

Sadly, like so many people and through no fault of my own, I have lung problems and my cycling and walking days are over or much curtailed. I am reliant on a car to get around and live my life.

There would be even more traffic speed signs around our island (80+?) and what for? Not many people take any notice of them anyway.

I live in the Rue des Annevilles, half of which is in St Sampson’s and half in the Vale.

We certainly need more policing there. It would be so easy to catch these drivers who roar up the Rue a Chiens (15mph – a Ruette Tranquil. Anything but that). This happens every day and at all times with squealing tyres at the junction and they continue to roar along the Rue des Annevilles with very loud engined motorbikes and cars. Coming out of all our gates, walking and motoring, you put your life in your hands. You do not stand a chance.

There are no speed signs at all in the Rue des Annevilles and the police have told me that it is a ‘minor road’. That is crazy. It is long and wide by Guernsey standards but with no pavements.

Children and parents take their lives in their hands coming up and down this road to and from Les Capelles School as well as the proximity of the St Sampson’s Cemetery in the Rue a Chiens.

So instead of all the cost of new speed limits on our roads please get the police with their speed guns out and about (including the Rue des Annevilles and the Rue a Chiens) and end or at lease lessen these constant dangers around and on top of us. Speed signs in this road would obviously not go amiss for those who took any notice of them.

One of the former traffic sergeants was very successful in doing this some years ago. There were many prosecutions and it lasted while he was in office. I know that police are very busy, but what price do we put on people’s lives?

By all means if Blanchelande College is the only school without a 25mph speed limit then apply that and for goodness sake, as Richard Leale and the Vale Douzaine say, there are far more important things the States could and should be concentrating on. Things that have drifted on and on and are now very urgent. We all know what they are, but do our politicians?

As I live in the St Sampson’s end of the Rue des Annevilles I understand that the St Sampson’s Douzaine feel the same way as the Vale Douzaine members do.

I’m sorry to have gone on rather more than I intended but like so many people they sadly feel that the States take no notice of how islanders feel on a particular subject and so people say and do nothing, let it go ahead, complain and moan and watch for the sad consequences. I have done this myself in the past.

In this case it could be people’s lives.

Many thanks for all both you douzaines do.

DAVID LE LIEVRE,

Okewood,

Rue des Annevilles,

St Sampson’s,

GY2 4XQ.

davidlelievre@hotmail.co.uk