Groups stress benefits of leaving car at home
People are being encouraged to leave their cars at home tomorrow for World Car Free Day.
Buses will be free with Environment & Infrastructure stressing they are a convenient alternative.
A range of local groups and organisations involved with sustainable travel are also together promoting the day.
‘Guernsey’s bus network provides a comprehensive service across the island, connecting people to where they need to be,’ said E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez.
‘While there has been some disruption to services recently owing to driver shortages which are being experienced around the world, it remains a very convenient service. It’s also affordable and a great way of reducing on-island transport emissions so we hope that Islanders will take advantage of Thursday’s free services to get a feel for how getting the bus more regularly could benefit them.’
Others promoting World Car Free Day include the Active Travel Officer from The Health Improvement Commission, The Guernsey Green Forum, The Clean Earth Trust, Guernsey Bicycle Group, The Better Journeys Project.
The groups are reaching out to contacts, families and businesses.
‘We know the importance of being active during the day and how it can improve short term and long term physical and mental health,’ said the Commission’s active travel officer Alex Costen.
‘There are lots of ways of doing this but leaving your car at home and walking or cycling is one alternative.’
Barrie Duerden of The Better Journeys Project said: ‘The energy crisis means travel costs are unpredictable and expensive, and whether your car is electric or uses fossil fuel, those costs look likely to be high for some time. Sharing a car, jumping on a bus, cycling or walking means money saved on your journeys can instead help offset the cost of living crisis.’ Ben Craddock from the Guernsey Bicycle Group added: ‘World Car Free Day is a brilliant opportunity for a large part of our community to experience the health, social, climate and cost benefits of choosing to walk, cycle or take the bus. With most journeys just a few miles and a lot of congestion caused by single occupancy vehicles, more people cycling as part of everyday life would positively impact everyone.’
CT Plus have advised that some services are still affected by the shortage of drivers and full details can be found on their website https://buses.gg.
