THE Environment Department has hit back at claims that it has wasted taxpayers’ money with ineffective traffic measures. Deputy Graham Guille had questioned why it cost more than £100,000 to extend the seafront cycle lane.
The Vale deputy joked that both cyclists were delighted with the path but said the road, used by thousands of motorists, was now much narrower.
‘I was being tongue-in-cheek,’ he said.
‘But there is a serious point to be made. We think about the big amounts, but in smaller ways we are cumulatively spending a lot on things that don’t really address the problem.
‘There are 15,000 cars that go along the front every day and how many cyclists?
‘All they have done is narrow the road. Is this helping traffic flow?’
But Environment minister Bernard Flouquet said the extension from Les Banques to the Weighbridge roundabout had been done in such a way as to keep the cost to taxpayers down.
‘Of the entire extension, only about a third involved any construction and that work was done at the same time as the resurfacing,’ said Deputy Flouquet.
‘This meant it was not only cost-effective, but involved no additional disruption.’
He said the States had voted in favour of providing more facilities for cyclists as part of the integrated road transport strategy. The former Advisory and Finance Committee had approved the expenditure.
The £106,000 allocated to the cycle lane extension primarily involved the construction of a new section along St George’s Esplanade. This appeared as separate expenditure because the former Traffic Committee made the capital request.
But Deputy Flouquet said this work coincided with resurfacing along this section of the seafront. A large proportion of the budget would have been spent anyway on reinstating the pavement, whether or not it included a new cycle lane.
A painted section between Admiral Park and the Longstore now joins this to where the original cycle lane ended. The existing footpath along Glategny Esplanade was also used to link the Salerie to the Weighbridge.
Deputy Flouquet said this meant the project was completed in a responsible manner, at minimum cost to taxpayers.
Of the total budget, £43,000 was allocated to the construction of the new pavement and cycle lane along St George’s Esplanade. Another £27,000 was required to realign the footpath on the opposite side to create angled parking and £24,000 for levelling the entrance to Salerie Corner car park.
The painted lane along Les Banques could be replaced with a new footpath section in the future, but Deputy Flouquet said this would also be done in conjunction with resurfacing.
Article posted on 13th August, 2004 - 12.00am
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