The Guernsey Branch of
On Thursday 2nd September the new school term started and 7 students took advantage of the new route - 6 on foot and one on a bike. In the afternoon there were two more cyclists. Living Streets has faced an uphill battle to get this route developed and without the generous sponsorship from many Guernsey companies it could not have been achieved. We are enormously grateful to everyone who has helped, encouraged and supported us over the last three years.
We hope that this pathway will provide a safe route to school for generations to come.
Around 50 islanders took part in the Living Streets Tranquillity Walk on July 11th. Starting from Market Square in St. Peter Port walkers took a almost car free route out of Town to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital where other walkers joined in. The 8 mile walk went through Guernsey's beautiful countryside right across the centre of the island and ended on the West Coast at L'Eree. The first walkers took just two and a half hours to reach the coast. Around £1,000 has been raised for the Safe Route to Baubigny Schools Project. We are very grateful to everyone who came and supported our project.
Around a dozen people joined us to discuss the possibility of introducing a default 20mph speed limit in residential and built up areas in Guernsey. This is a major campaign by Living Streets UK at the moment. Val Rowland, a founder member of Living Streets Guernsey introduced the subject. At 20mph a pedestrian hit by a car has a 9 out of 10 chance of survival. At 40mph a 9 our of 10 chance of being killed. Research finds that in 20mph zones it is quiet enough for conversation and for eye contact with drivers, so children can play safely a people feel less threatened. With less cars driving more slowly there is reduction in pollution which is always more of a threat to drivers themselves, unpleasant as it is for the whole environment. Standardisation of speed limits would enable a drecrease in signage cluttering up the landscape and would reduce confusion, thus being safer and less frustrating. Many of us driving in France appreciate the more subtle way of calming traffic in villages, using build-outs and changed surfaces. The 30kph in villages is only 18.5mph, making our current 25mph in urban and other areas such as around schools, much more aggresive in comparison.
Living Streets Guernsey feels that this is an appropriate time to discuss the introduction of standisation at a safe and comfortable 20mph limit and we hope that the Environment Department will take into account during their review of island wide speed limits.
Chair of Living Streets, Deputy John Gollop gave a fascinating insight into the history of Guernsey's bus service and led the discussion on how we can encourage more islanders to use it. Many ideas were put forward which have now been sent to the Environment Department.
Living Streets has finally been given the go-ahead to make safety improvements within the private vinery site though which children will walk on their way to the Baubigny Schools. It is more than two years since we started campaigning for the safe route through the beautiful green lung between St. Peter Port and St. Sampson. The route will enable students living in St. Peter Port to walk or cycle to their new school safely in a virtually traffic free route. We are enormously grateful to the Planners in the Environment Department for all their help and support during this difficult time.
We still need to raise at least £10,000 before we can open up the route. We will now go ahead with all the safety measures throughout the route with a view to opening it up in September 2010 (finances permitting). If you help us with our fund raising, please contact Pat Wisher (patwisher@cwgsy.net)
Living Streets members had prepared 16 questions on pedestrian and general road safety issues. Pavement parking and pavement "surfing" (vehicles driving on the pavements) dominated the first hour of this meeting. Members felt that there had been little progress over the years to enforce the law on these issues. Many of those present mentioned dangerous areas where vehicles were driven at speed along pavements. However, we were told that over the past 2 years 964 motorists parked on the pavement had been cautioned or given fixed penalty tickets (this number also included cyclists riding on the pavement.
Living Streets will be meeting with Mr. Le Page in the New Year to discuss ways of educating the Guernsey motorist about these pedestrian safety issues.
After waiting more than 17 weeks our planning application for safety measures within the private vinery site through which students will walk or cycle to the new schools was turned down. A damning report from Commerce & Employment contributed to the decision by the Board. However, we have now met with Commerce & Employment and listened to their advice and have put in a new application taking on board all of their concerns. The department made it clear that the route we were proposing across the middle of the two parcels of land would be unacceptable because it comprised the use of the vinery as a going concern perhaps in the future. This has left us with no option other than to take our original preferred route which follows the field boundary and goes past the prison fence. This had been opposed by the Home Department on security grounds.
We realise that this might now put us on a collision course with the Home Department.
If you support our campaign and would like to support us financially, please send donations to our Treasurer, Mrs. Jean Lees, Shirley, Rouge Rue, St. Peter Port, GY1 1ZE. Cheques payable to Living Streets, Guernsey (STEPS). (or contact patwisher@cwgsy.net)
With the headline "Guernsey celebrates a major success for the new school run" a two page spread in the Summer journal features our campaign for a one way system around the new Baubigny schools campus. The Guernsey branch of Living Streets is one of 98 local branches all over the UK. The article highlights our long battle to persuade a change of heart - putting pedestrian and cycle safety first.
The new schools opened for all students on Thursday 4th September and it was brilliant to see so many students walking and cycling using the new shared pavement along the Baubigny Road. The article concludes by saying: " All in all, it's a wonderful result that will have a significant impact on making the islands' children fitter, safer and more sociable. This is more than enough reward for our local activists - dedicated people who are changing their communities for the better."
On Saturday 12th July around 60 islanders - parents, children, teachers and politicians walked from the Pitronnerie Road Industrial Estate, via the Bowl to the back of the new St. Sampson's High and Le Murier schools. The idea was to show parents and children where the proposed route was, what it was like and how long it took. Many were surprised that it took just 15 minutes to walk through the beautiful countryside to the back of the school. We are very grateful to the land owner of the vinery site through which we walked to allow us to try out the route. Living Streets is continuing to try to secure this route for students living in the St. Peter Port area.
Designing for Living Streets was the subject of an open forum on 18th June. Around 30 people gathered to hear our local architects tell us about their design ideas. The key to designing for Living Streets was finding a balance. Andrew Ozanne felt that we had moved forward in the last 5 to 7 years in developments like the Royal Hotel/Savoy sites, the Bouet and the soon to be developed Leale's Yard site. We neeed to think about how we can make developments pedestrian friendly.
David Falla talked about his involvement in the development of Marylebone High Street in London. The aim was to get back the feeling of a village. So what was needed was to inhibit the traffic, narrow the route and enlarge pavements. Using different surfaces was important - a change of surface is a clue to the driver that this is not an ordinary street. Trinity Square is being considered for re-design - we needed to calm the traffic, put in seating and public art.
Jamie Falla showed examples of Bordeaux sea front in France - they have a skate park right on the sea front - bringing generations together. In housing we need to provide storage for bikes.
Andrew Ozanne was consulted on the Jersey waterfront and he told the developers that the biggest impediment was the road going through - so they have put it underground.
Rob Le Page talked about the housing developments with which he had been involved - he had been able to provide pedestrian links through to other properties. Funding is needed but the States is afraid to go down the private/public route. In Boston the traffic is underground and the pedestrians on top.
Steve Williams from the Guernsey Housing Association talked about the new Victoria Avenue development which is working on home zone principles.
At our AGM there was a unanimous decision to drop the STEPS name and the rather negative "Stop Traffic Endangering Pedestrian Safey" in favour of Living Streets Guernsey. STEPS has always been the Guernsey branch of Living Streets since it set up in 2002. We will be holding meetings this year which concentrate on the Living Streets manifesto which argues that 10 factors need to be in place and in harmony to add up to Living Streets.
A group of STEPS members joined with members of the public to walk the green lanes near the new school site on Monday 25th February to try to work out the best position to extend the lanes into the school site. It was a very interesting exercise and we think we have come up with a suitable solution. We are now going ahead with investigating whether there are any rights of way that we can us. We shall also be contacting land owners to see whether they can help us gain a footpath through to the back of the school. If we can, this will be marvellous for students from St. Peter Port who want to walk or cycle to the school. It would take them off the busy main roads and directly into the site.
Yvonne Le Page used a Power Point Presentation to illustrate how the Walk to School Weeks have contributed to the National Healthy Schools Standard. Helen Mahoney explained about the STEPPING OUT pedometer challenge that she had been undertaking with schools. The Praxis Group was funding the project this year so that every year 5 student will have an opportunity to take part.
STEPS Living Streets is now distributing hi-vis vests and baseball caps which have been bought out of the proceeds from Bright Clothes Day and from sponsorship money donated by Islands Insurance. Preference is being given to islanders who walk or cycle and particularly to those who walk in areas where there are no pavements.
If you, or any of your friends would like a vest (they are available in medium, large and xtra large sizes) please contact Pat Wisher on 268088 or patwisher@cwgsy.net
Home Minister, Deputy Geoff Mahy talks to STEPS
Geoff Mahy acknowledged that we needed to encourage islanders to use their cars less. We needed to look at the benefits - health, exercise, less pollution, fewer deaths, less depression. He was very in favour of the research coming out of Europe where many road signs have been taken away and all road users share the road space. He maintained that roads are safer if they are not designated for a particular type of road user. Amongst Guernsey examples he mentioned the unofficial crossing at Woolworths, where pedestrians have to make eye contact with drivers in order to cross the road. Guernsey's filters were also a success story for the same reason - drivers needed to make eye contact to negotiate them safely. He is in favour of traffic calming, using chicanes, pavement build outs and speed cushions. Guernsey's roads have been given over to the car - we need to reclaim them.
Road Safety Week is timed to coincide with the end of summertime when the clocks go back. It's the time when the evenings close in and when road users need to take extra care and watch out for each other. STEPS has co-ordinated Road Safety Week for the past four years. This year's event was sponsored by Islands Insurance. As well as STEPS, the committee consisted of the three Emergency Services, the Environment Department, the Child Accident Prevention Group, Island Coachways, the Guernsey Bicycle Group and the Guernsey Motor Traders Association.
Each partner focused on a particular road safety issue. The week started with an impressive demonstration at the Grammar School, watched by 500 sixth formers, when two of their colleagues were cut out of a mock three vehicle collision. The Environment Department displayed its speed indicator in a different location each day to remind islanders to keep to the speed limit. Speeding was the issue chosen by the Child Accident Prevention group, who focussed on the dangers around the Forest Primary School. Island Coachways wanted to highlight the skills needed to drive a bus around Guernsey's narrow roads and invited the media to have a go under the watchful eye of their trainer, and the Guernsey Motor Traders Association also focussed on driving in narrow roads - reminding islanders that driving on the pavement was both dangerous and illegal. The GBG ran a safety cycle ride reminding cyclists to wear high visibility clothes and helmets and free cycle lights were given out to cyclists during the week. Finally STEPS ran a poster competition for students in which they were asked to highlight the dangers of tailgating. STEPS also ran Bright Clothes Day to remind both pedestrians and cyclists to wear high visibility gear at night. Throughout the week a crashed car and a display of photographs of Guernsey RTCs was set up at Beau Sejour Leisure Centre.
For more on Road Safety Week and to see pictures of this year's event, click on Road Safety.
At the STEPS AGM on Wednesday 25th April Deputy John Gollop was voted in as the new Chair, replacing Rob Gregson who has resigned but remains in the committee. John was a founder member of STEPS and was on the committee in the early days. As a member of the Traffic Committee he took part in many of the schools walking audits undertaken by the Committee's Vulnerable Road Users Working Party.
As someone who doesn't drive, walks everywhere and knows the bus timetable backwards John is the ideal person to lead STEPS.
January 2007
STEPS provided a Forum for members of the public to have their say on the review of the island's speed limits. The Environment Department is about to embark on this review which was part of their Integrated Transport Strategy. The meeting decided that we should align our speed limits to the UK's model of 10's. The reason for this was that it was felt that the speed limits around schools should be 20mph (not 25mph). A child hit by a car at 20mph has a 9 out of 10 chance of survival. Every extra 5 miles per hour makes a difference. Members also agreed that lanes should be 20mph. Some coastal roads and traffic priority routes could be designated as 40mph. Our submission has gone to the Environment Department. It will be given to the Consultants who are doing the review.
April 2007
At its AGM on 25th April STEPS will be celebrating its fifth birthday and considering its programme for the next few years. We have always believed in working closely with all the relevant island agencies. Much has been achieved through discussion, debate, persistent lobbying and friendly persuasion. The safety of pedestrians is our primary concern and we believe we have achieved a number of improvements to the pedestrian environment over the past five years. If you would like to join us at this meeting, details are on the What's On page.
February 2007
STEPS has written to the Environment Department about its concerns for pedestrian safety around the new schools campus at Les Nicolles. Our main concern is for pedestrian access along the Baubigny Road. This road carries a great deal of HGV and other traffic, is very narrow and there are virtually no pavements. Although we understand that students who live in St. Peter Port will mainly be bussed in, we are concerned that children living within half a mile or a mile of the school will not have the option of walking because of this dangerous road. We are holding a Forum on this subject on Wednesday June 20th at 7.30 p.m. at Capelles Church. We invite anyone with an interest in this to join us.
March 2007
Chief Inspector Ruari Hardy was our guest at our March Forum. With the help of a Power Point presentation he gave us an insight into the workings of the Ops section of the Police. Among other items he showed us how road traffic collisions are logged and explained how a serious hit and run accident was investigated and successfully brought to court. Members were able to ask questions throughout his presentation and it was a very enjoyable forum.