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The trial pedestrianisation of Alderney's Victoria Street has been "paused" amid negative feedback, including from retailers who said it badly affected their pre-Christmas trading.
The trial started last weekend, and was meant to continue on each Saturday morning until 4 January.
Many shops on Victoria Street close on Saturday afternoons so the morning is considered to be a key economic period, especially in the run up to Christmas.
However, some vocal critics of the scheme forewarned the pedestrianisation would be bad for businesses along Victoria Street.
That proved to be the case for some shops with retailers counting their footfall between 09:00 and 13:00 on Saturday saying it was lower than usual.
The General Services Committee has said it is "aware of a significant number of comments" around the traffic trial.
It's been noted that "there was discussion amongst the community, feedback made to States Members who were present, and thoughts relayed to the Alderney Police".
Not all of the feedback was negative though, said a spokesperson for the GSC.
"Whilst there were a number of issues and discontent made known, there was also constructive criticism and a significant amount of positive feedback received from shoppers," they said.
It's now been acknowledged that the GSC did not communicate the terms of the trial sufficiently and there should have been further engagement with shopkeepers, the Post Office, those with accessibility challenges, and delivery drivers before the trial was launched.
The GSC has therefore relented and paused the trial and has brought forward work to gather further feedback, with comments now welcomed at Consultation.Alderney@gov.gg with the subject clearly marked "Victoria Street Pedestrianisation Trial Feedback". The feedback period will close on January 3rd 2025.
The GSC will decide what to do around the planned summer trial once all feedback has been considered.
The pedestrianisation of Victoria Street is part of a wider trial which forms part of a Traffic Improvement Programme that was unanimously agreed by the General Services Committee.
The GSC said the programme is being implemented following extensive evaluation of the traffic survey responses received from the community earlier this year.
Pictured top: Image from the States of Alderney.
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