25mph changes will take effect in April

Tuesday 06 November 2018

Guernsey's Environment & Infrastructure Committee has published 10 draft regulations as part of its move to reduce speed limits to 25mph on 81 more roads across the island.

The regulations relate to a number of busy roads in areas such as Cobo, L’Aumone, St. Martin, St. Pierre du Bois, Forest, L’Islet, St. Sampson, Braye Road and St. Peter Port. The road which goes around the corner of Blanchelande College will also be reduced to 20mph at the same time, to bring the school in line with others in the island.

These "regulations" are how the States amend the Road Traffic Laws, and the Committee has published 10 drafts of them at gov.gg/roadsafety, setting out the changes, along with a separate map showing which roads correspond with each regulation.

Following a 14 day period of publication, which is the amount of time required in the law, the regulations will be registered at the Greffe, after which they will be laid before a meeting of the States as soon as possible in 2019.

But things are not expected to be smooth sailing from there, as, since the announcement of the plans from E&I, other States members have said it is their intention to try to amend the proposals to stop the full changes coming in to force. 

Deputy Mary Lowe, a Vale Deputy and President of Home Affairs, has put criticism to the idea from two different angles. Firstly, Home Affairs were negative toward the plans in their letter of response, saying it would be difficult to police 81 more 25mph zones. Then, as a Vale deputy, she felt the public consultation which saw more than half of responses argue against the changes should have been listened to.

While the new legislation will not go to the States for debate under normal circumstances, that can be circumvented if an amendment is applied to the Statutory Instruments when they are read out in the Assembly.

The introduction of the new speed limits is planned for Sunday 7 April 2019.