States should decide on speed limits, says Vale's Deputy Lowe

Wide-ranging recommendations to reduce speed limits in the north of the island are so significant that they ought to be considered by the States as a whole, says the Vale's most senior deputy.

Mary Lowe told the parish website that the scale of the changes being considered by Environment and Infrastructure weren't a small matter and so should be debated by the Assembly and not left to one committee to introduce.

'Yes E&I have the mandate to do this but so did the previous Education Department when closing St Andrew's and St Sampson's Infants. When it’s that controversial and will impact on just about every road user, a proper consultation followed by a States decision would, I believe, be more favourable,’ she said.

Deputy Lowe had earlier called for the consultation period to be extended beyond the school holidays.

Her latest comments were welcomed by Vale Senior Constable Richard Leale, who has already expressed the Douzaine's opposition to the changes as not being evidence-based when they should be part of a proper, island-wide review.

'Otherwise, this risks being seen as picking off the odd road in what appears a random process,' he said.

'Douzeniers are also worried that what Environment members are proposing is an extension of its desire to force people out of their cars and onto bikes, buses or the pavements to lead life like it was in the 1950s.

'They seem to forget that most parents have to work these days to meet mortgage or rent commitments and simply do not have the time to bus or walk children to school even if they wanted to,' he said.

While the Douzaine wasn't opposed to all speed limit reductions, it had to be borne in mind that most of the time it was not possible to travel at the speed limit, and ways needed to be found to enable traffic to flow, perhaps through removing on-street parking on major routes.

He recognised, however, that some parishioners might be in favour of the proposals to reduce the speed limit on more than 80 island roads including Braye Road and thoroughfares around the Bridge (pictured below) and urged everyone to let Environment know what their views were.

They can do that by emailing [email protected] or writing to Traffic & Highway Services, P O Box 145, Bulwer Avenue, St Sampson's, GY2 4LR, to arrive no later than Monday 13^th August, unless the consultation period is extended as Deputy Lowe and the Douzaine had requested.