Shared mobility scheme is not a game-changer

I read with dismay the latest advocacy for shared mobility schemes and car-pooling.

I, like many in Guernsey, am in favour of any ideas that can help alleviate the affordable housing crisis we have. I think the merits of building up have to be considered. I am also in favour of encouraging people to lead an active life and cycling can play a part in that, however, I cannot see how a car-sharing scheme or the States of Guernsey purchasing a fleet of cars for staff is going to work. Surely the staff would still have to travel to and from work, presumably as they do now, in a car? As I see it the fleet of staff cars would just add to the volume of cars. Also, if a member of staff was allowed to take the car home, does this then become a taxable benefit in kind?

Shared mobility schemes may well work in an elderly community where there is much less reliance on the car in day-to-day life, however, it will not work in housing communities where there is much more reliance on the car for day-to-day living, for example, working out of town, school runs, doctor’s appointments, shopping, etc.

Too many people will require the use of a car at any one time. Shared mobility feels like an attempt to deter the use of the car where many people have no alternatives.

We are not in a position to have a high-frequency island-wide bus service that will allow people to get to where they want, when they want, and we are too small for any kind of rail service.

We pay our taxes and unfettered island-wide travel by any means should be the right of all islanders, not just that of the wealthy elite. The more you try to impede our right to travel freely and hinder our attempts to find the ever-diminishing number of parking spaces, the more we will be driven online to source our shopping and other goods that can be delivered to our door. This will take away much-needed business from local suppliers, having the knock-on effect of reducing the tax take.

I’m afraid any wish to impose car-free Utopia is the dream of someone completely out of touch and with no understanding of the day-to-day challenges faced by the ordinary Guernsey man and woman. Is this an attempt to coerce those in the affordable housing bracket into buying houses with no parking, as they will be the only ones available? In my opinion, you should not be able to force portions of a society to live at a disadvantage to others.

I have stated before that our supposed car problem only occurs between 8 and 9am and 3.30-5.30pm Monday to Friday in term time, or when there are major roadworks. Perhaps we could look at this problem first. Have we considered a compulsory school bus service?

With regard to our affordable and key worker housing issues, I think the States should look at some of the derelict sites around the island and force developers to build within a certain time frame, or otherwise compulsorily purchase the site and develop it themselves – sites such as St Martin’s Hotel as an example. Also look at some of the sites that they own which could be turned into affordable or key worker housing – Castel Hospital as an example. I do agree with building upwards, so if Frossard House is developed, why not consider two floors of parking below ground?

One term I am fed up with hearing is ‘game-changer’, as often used by the president of Environment & Infrastructure, Deputy de Sausmarez.

The tunnel was a ‘game-changer’, alfresco dining was a ‘game-changer’ and now shared mobility schemes are ‘game-changers’. None of these are game-changers. Affordable housing for all islanders, reasonable waiting times for surgical procedures, adequate housing and care for the elderly, thus freeing up beds that are blocked at the PEH, and finally sorting out our education system once and for all – these would be ‘game-changers’ and are what the majority of islanders want to see you working to achieve.

Government is elected by the people of Guernsey to represent the current needs of the people of Guernsey, not for us to be at the whim of some champagne socialist elite who wish to impose their green credentials on us. I’m sure the majority of islanders are as green as they can afford to be.

JASON COOK