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The proposed Better Transport Plan for the north of Guernsey will improve choices and experiences for people living in the affected areas, says one deputy who lives there.
Deputy Adrian Gabriel is Vice President of the Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure.
He, and committee president Deputy Lindsey de Sausmarez unveiled E&I's Plan yesterday, with information leaflets being delivered to affected homeowners.
Deputy Gabriel said his personal lived experiences have influenced his input on the Plan.
“I live in the north, close to some of the sites earmarked for housing," he explained. "I’ve also done a lot of driving for business, so I know all too well how unsuitable our roads are.
"It is essential we deliver more housing, but we need to do it in a way that doesn’t make our roads even worse or make people feel even less safe when walking or cycling. With this plan, I think we can actually improve the choices and experience for people when it comes to transport, both current and new residents alike.”
Pictured: More than 1,000 new homes could be built in proposed new developments in St Sampsons, prompting E&I to devise a 'Better Transport Plan' for the north of Guernsey.
The Better Transport Plan includes proposals to restrict access on a number of roads near proposed developments in St Sampsons under a new scheme called Ruettes Habitants.
Other roads could also be made one-way, while new walking and cycling paths could be created in numerous areas.
Improvements to bus routes and shelters are also proposed, along with shared access car-clubs and other proposals.
Anticipating there may be some criticism of the plans, E&I wanted affected homeowners to receive their information leaflets before the news was fully published today.
An A-Z of details has also been published, HERE, while the full Plan can be read HERE.
A video explaining the Plan can be viewed HERE.
E&I says that as well as providing more choice in how to get around, the Better Transport Plan will also "ensure the needs of more vulnerable road users (such as those walking and riding bikes, particularly children and elderly islanders) are met, in line with the States-approved Integrated Transport Strategy".
E&I says its Plan will also be "practical, deliverable and affordable" with various aspects introduced "bit-by-bit".
Many of the changes will only be adopted when new developments are created, but some may be introduced sooner than that.
Pictured (l-r): Deputies Lindsay de Sausmarez and Adrian Gabriel presenting the Better Transport Plan to the media yesterday.
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, President of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure said: “Our road infrastructure is already not serving residents in the north anywhere near as well as it could, even before taking into account the additional pressure that would be caused by developing new housing – new housing which we badly need as a community.
“This Plan will guide improvements to transport options as those developments move forward. We want to be proactive in our efforts to minimise any negative impacts of likely new development and use the opportunity to create in the process some additional benefits for the current and future residents alike. However you prefer to travel, whether that’s by car or on foot or by bike or bus, or whether it just depends on how you’re feeling on the day or the particular journey, we want to give you more choices, more freedom, and safer, less stressful ways to get around the island.”
WATCH: Transport plan for the north launched
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