From Terry Brown, Tom Bunting, Remi Couriard, Kevin Daly, Hugh Gill, Sue Hardy, Arthur Lamy, Paul Nicolle, Martin Walton and Peter Webb.
THE following letter has been sent to all States Members; we would appreciate it if we could use the pages of your valued publication to stress our surprise and disappointment at the proposals to increase the speed limit on our beautiful lanes.
‘Dear States Member,
The undersigned are all Blue Badge Guides involved in guiding groups of walkers and cyclists or in writing walks and rides for visitors.
As guides we take advantage of the green lanes which, along with the coastal paths, form a unique part of our environment.
We wish to protest at the proposals to increase the speed limit on green lanes to 20 mph, for the following reasons:
• The green lane scheme was introduced democratically by a majority vote in the States in 1994.
• The scheme has been remarkably successful – all but two of the parishes have adopted the scheme by majority vote at parish assemblies
• Tourism have invested heavily in promoting Jersey as a walking and cycling destination.
The scheme won the 1996 Silver Unicorn Award from the British Guild of Travel Writers and is the envy of other destinations.
• We continue to receive praise and positive feedback from visiting press and other media.
• Over a third of staying visitors today are walkers or cyclists.
• A 15 mph limit is a deterrent to motorists; increasing to 20 mph will encourage motorists back onto them.
• The average speed in a 20 mph zone is between 25 and 30 mph!
• The total mileage of green lanes is only 50 miles, or under ten per cent of the island’s roads. Is there really a problem with this?
We ask all States Members to consider the above comments and vote against an increase to 20 mph on green lanes.
