Where is the evidence to support the rally claims?

It is alleged that the race can generate £80,000 profit for the island. Where is the evidence for this? Who provided this figure? Please can we see properly audited evidence of this claim?

How can this claim be accurate when E&I said that it would allow no further events of this kind following the last rally on the grounds that it was too time consuming for them and involved too much paperwork? Civil servants were being paid to do this work in addition to their usual work load, who picked up the bill? Furthermore, the rally caused extra work for emergency services, where did the money come from to cover this?

How are people going to watch the cars race through ‘the quiet lanes’? They cannot stand by the roadside as the lanes are not wide enough. I would imagine very few householders, whose peace would be disturbed, would be happy to allow people to access their properties so they can watch the race and leave their litter for others to pick up.

Then it is stated that ‘few people would enjoy cars racing past their houses in a quiet country lane, it should be recognised that this is a short-term individual pain for a long-term island-wide gain for a couple of days – a couple of hours in some cases a year.’ How can these statements be supported by facts? For those of us who live in quiet country lanes and pay rates for the privilege of doing so, it’s not worth it to have the peace of the countryside disturbed and to be made prisoners in our own homes until the rally organisers graciously give us permission to leave them. Furthermore, I would point out that many of these quiet lanes are in a serious state of disrepair, with potholes and parts of the roads collapsing. Even if they are repaired in time to facilitate this niche hobby at the ratepayers expense, cars tearing over these lanes, which were never originally designed for cars, are bound to create more damage.

And who says environmental issues do not matter as also suggested in the Guernsey Press? How can we market the island as a peaceful place if events such as the rally are permitted? What about the effect on wildlife and pets these cars ‘racing through quiet lanes’ will create? What about the increase in fumes from exhausts polluting the country air? What mitigation is proposed for any of these factors? None I suspect.

What consideration is given to elderly and housebound people having to tolerate extra noise and maybe not being able to access family, carers and other health professionals? Do these people, who are also ratepayers, have to just put up with it and in the case of an emergency hope it will be all right?

Finally, maybe it is time for islanders to question who we really are. Do we want Guernsey to continue to be a rural, peaceful community, caring for the environment so there is something worthwhile to hand on to future generations or not?

PETER AND LINDA LE VASSEUR