Major events are in jeopardy – Marshall

The major obstacle in this case is the inter-island boat schedule, with the Brittany Ferries timetable from 28 March onwards currently including only mid-week travel – usually on a Wednesday – between Guernsey and Jersey.

Jersey have committed to working with Danish firm DFDS, who have made no reference yet to inter-island services. No other service is currently offering a dependable alternative.

The Guernsey Rally chairman and motorsport stalwart, whose headline event takes place on 28 February and 1 March, knows how much of a loss it would be if travel remains restricted to and from Jersey.

‘If that’s the case, what’s going to happen to Guernsey motorsport? This may be the last big event that we put on for the foreseeable future,’ he said.

‘The Jersey Rally, we’re looking at it now for October, but at the moment we don’t know how we can go.

‘Supposedly, we could go to Jersey on a Wednesday to a Wednesday. But you can’t afford it, eh?’

He said that they had looked at other options but they are very expensive.

‘At the moment, it’s all up in the air,’ he added.

‘It’s not just us who will be affected – it will be Jersey as well.

‘For things like Murattis, they can fly, but it’s going to affect everyone with the cars, horse boxes, and everything that has to travel.’

HillClimb UK recently posted on social media highlighting the apparent difficulty in travelling between the Jersey and Guernsey ‘National’ rounds in July.

The British Hillclimb Championships competitors have typically contested Bouley Bay mid-week before travelling for a weekend blast up Le Val des Terres, but Marshall has some concerns over whether the UK elite will show up on 19 July this year.

‘Are they going to actually bother?’ Marshall said.

‘It all depends on how they’re going to work it, but if DFDS are only operational for Jersey, then they’ll take them to Jersey, but we won’t be able to get them.

‘Motorsport events are going to absolutely be affected – and other sports.’

However, given the regular ferries to both the UK and France, Marshall can see track days being popular this year.

‘I think you’ll find a lot of the local drivers will end up doing track days.

‘Track days are more appealing at the moment.’

n Traffic and Highway Services have announced via social media that they have given permission for the 2025 Guernsey Rally to take place as planned over seven stages and two days.

They have confirmed that the event will be ‘mostly spread over the rural parishes’.

Further stage details are to follow in coming weeks.