Latest news with #StatesofGuernsey
BBC News
12 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Mum raises road safety concerns over north Guernsey housing plans
A family in the north of Guernsey says safety is a "real issue" due to speeding motorists in the area and believes plans for more housing will only make it Reader, who has lived in Saltpans Road for four years, said she no longer walked her children up the road after a number of incidents involving said her seven-year-old son was nearly hit by a speeding car while walking and then he was verbally abused. She is concerned new infrastructure for housing will create added danger for active travel. The States of Guernsey said enabling housing was a top priority and part of the work was to create new infrastructure in the area to ease pressure on existing roads. However, Claire said residents who have lived in the area for 40 years have noticed a difference in the road, with more congestion and it was now far busier. "As it stands, it's not safe to walk or active travel. There are over 700 houses and some of the plans we are looking up to 1,200 houses being built a stone's throw from where we live."Residents are finding all the buildings seem to be in the north - and there are pockets in other parishes - but the distribution of properties on the island is not fair." 'Massive concern' She said the local community was not saying not to build but for the States to consider the current residents, conduct an accurate traffic report and reduce the number of houses being built in the added: "Build but consider how you are building and don't build it all in the north."Safety is a massive concern for lots of people."The States said the work to create new infrastructure in the area would ease pressure on its existing roads and give more people more options to get around. Claire's son Bertie said: "I don't feel that safe at all and I've nagged my mum to let me walk and cycle to school but I can't because it is way too dangerous." Her daughter, Grace, thinks the road near their house should be 15mph rather than 25mph. "Sometimes they go at a good speed but most of the time they are just speeding," she said."When I'm walking on my own it is a bit scary because I feel like cars are going to hit me." States Property Unit said the States' desire to deliver critical infrastructure to enable a homes-building programme as soon as possible had led to accelerated consideration of the wider requirements of the said: "This has ensured a solid foundation for this outline planning application for road infrastructure and also provides the springboard for the next stages, alongside the additional reports and engagement needed for broader planning applications following the completion of the IDP review."
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey's inflation rate slows to 3.9%, States figures show
Inflation in Guernsey slowed to 3.9% between March and June, according to latest figures from the States of rate of inflation, measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI), is 1.4% lower than the same time last year and 0.3% lower than March 2025. The States said inflation was being driven by increases in the cost of housing and tobacco. Guernsey saw a peak in December 2022, at 8.5%.Officials at Guernsey's States have predicted inflation rates will remain stable in the next three months, before sharply decreasing. Guernsey's inflation rate in April was 4.2%. What is inflation? Inflation is the increase in the price of something over example, if a litre of milk costs £1 but is £1.05 a year later, then annual milk inflation is 5%.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New clinical care unit 'will not open any time soon'
A new clinical care unit at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital "will not open any time soon", the island's top civil servant has June, the BBC revealed the opening of the unit had been the project, which made up phase one of the hospital modernisation project, was scheduled to be completed by autumn 2024. States of Guernsey chief executive Boley Smillie said: "There are issues that need to be resolved, issues I cannot talk about unfortunately." The BBC understands problems with the installation of new ventilation units and the placement of some walls have caused some of the delays. Health and Social Care President George Oswald said during the last political term there was no political oversight of the project. Mr Smillie admitted the States needed to be more transparent, but said commercial relationships sometimes got in the way of that: "There is always reasons why we have to deal with things behind the scenes."But you know there's no hiding from the fact that we've got to do better on some of these projects." In a speech to a local think tank Mr Smillie, who has been in post since January, said the States struggled with accountability. "When it comes to large projects, accountability starts to dilute."Some people are stretched across too many projects, we need people to be focused on delivering outcomes and that works very well in some areas, in some areas we have got to hold our hands up so we can do better."Despite the problems, he focussed on recent successes, when it came to delivering big projects. "The Liberation Day celebration took a lot of organisation. "The election whilst people talk about the results and whether island-wide voting is a good thing or a bad thing, actually the operation of the election was brilliantly run by officers."We were declaring results much earlier than anyone would have expected of us, so there's lots to be proud of and lots to be positive about. "What we have got to do better on those large-scale projects is be more outcome-focused we have got to make sure that accountability and responsibility is clear, as it is not as clear as it could be."
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Guernsey's States to send delegation to Reform UK conference
Guernsey's States will send a delegation to the Reform UK party conference in Birmingham this September. It is the first time an official party from Guernsey's government will attend the event. Alongside Reform's event, officials and deputies from Guernsey's States will also go to the Liberal Democrats, Labour and Conservative party conferences. Policy and resources lead on external relations, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, said: "Many MPs don't really know what the crown dependencies are and what Guernsey is." "We have for the past few years increased from one to three party conferences, now because of the changing political scenery in the UK we're adding Reform to that."Reform UK currently have four MPs in the House of Commons and are led by Nigel Farage, who visits the Channel Islands regularly. Deputy Le Tocq said it was important the island engaged across the political spectrum."Obviously the Lib Dems have big numbers in Parliament so we want to make sure our network is understood," he said."Overall in Westminster over half of the MPs are brand new, like here in Guernsey, "It's really important to have that engagement, so when questions occur we don't have people getting the wrong idea and our constitutional relationship is maintained."
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Traffic filter to be installed after concerns in Guernsey
A new traffic filter is to be introduced to improve road safety, following islander's is set to be sited at the junction between Les Varioufs, Rue des Huriaux and La Rue de la Corbinerie, near Les Bourgs Hospice charity junction is expected to be closed on 12 July from 09:00 GMT, for most of the day, to allow the works to be carried out States of Guernsey said the new filter has come about because of islander feedback about limited visibility and reports of traffic collisions at the junction. Paul James, road safety officer at Traffic and Highway Services, said the junction "met the threshold for installing a filter", which will bring improved road safety with minimal impact on said: "We proactively monitor key junctions across the island to see what improvements can be made and then take appropriate action."Improving road safety for all road users continues to be one of our top priorities."
