It’s the way rally car racing is imposed on us that’s a worry
THOUGH I quite like Marmite, I feel compelled to write this for the good of all who truly want to preserve the island’s delicate environment.
Rally car racing around the lanes and roads of the island is an emotive subject. Most people either like the idea or detest it, just like the dark brown yeast extract.
It was recently announced that Traffic and Highway Services (T&HS) having blocked this event this year would allow a rally in February 2025. One contributing factor for the absence of the rally this year was because of the number of people who wrote in and objected to it for a whole host of reasons.
So many objections, in fact, that T&HS had to consult the Law Officers and as a result introduced a two-stage appeals process. What T&HS did not do was bring in an independent arbitrator.
No sporting event in the island’s history has generated such resistance, to my knowledge.
The objectors are often accused of being intolerant but most, if not all, welcome events like the Island Games and the Guernsey Marathon with open arms. It is the way rally car racing is imposed on them and the concerns about environmental damage that worry people. Animal lovers have concerns too. We all saw with horror the cavalry horses charging through central London after being terrified by loud noises. Rally cars are not quiet.
Details of the actual rally stages are restricted for as long as possible to reduce the engagement with people who may want to express genuine concerns. Public meetings to discuss the rally are not forthcoming.
Every rally results in cars crashing. A granite wall down at Petit Bot was badly damaged a few years ago and took an age to rebuild. Luckily only the car was a right-off, not the driver.
It is often argued that the rally fills hotel beds in winter, but no figures are ever produced to prove this. Race cars come from Jersey but only two came over from the UK in 2023.
Recently, a young nine-year-old boy from a local primary school organised a march with his school mates around the playground to highlight their concerns for the environment. Surely, theirs is the generation and the brave young voices we adults should be listening to? It is their future.
If you agree with the concerns I have, please write in to Traffic and Highway Services and object to this event taking place. But please do it now, don’t wait.
TIM R LANGLOIS