This Is Guernsey

By Nicci Martel

A TRAFFIC-IMPACT assessment on Guernsey Coal’s Les Monmains entrance has been criticised by Housing minister Dave Jones. Deputy Jones said the report, which claims Les Monmains Road is used to just 13% of its capacity during peak times, had delivered only the results Guernsey Coal and its managing director, David Meeks, wanted to hear.

‘What Mr Meeks has said about the report is very misleading. For a start, its facts are wrong.

‘It said Guernsey Coal was in St Sampson’s when it’s actually in the Vale and it even got the names of the roads involved wrong,’ said Deputy Jones.

‘There’s no way Mr Meeks should be holding this assessment up as justification for what he wants to do.’

Neighbours have long been concerned about the dust and disturbance caused by lorries using the Monmains gate into the coal yard. When a large-scale redevelopment of the site was proposed, they feared that traffic would significantly increase and requested that plans include a new entrance.

The Environment Department ordered a traffic-impact assessment and UK consultants Ove Arup and Partners carried it out. It did not find any significant problems caused by the existing gate, which has remained in the plans submitted to Environment.

But according to both Deputy Jones and fellow Vale deputy Graham Guille, the assessment did not give an accurate account of traffic flow in the area and used flawed methods.

‘The assessment was done between 8 and 9am and then again between 5 and 6pm. This road is a cul-de-sac so there’s not a thing on the road during those times.

‘At that time in the morning work on the site hasn’t started and then by 5pm the site is closing.

‘Guernsey Coal got the report it wanted,’ said Deputy Guille, who has been in close contact with residents in the area.

One had monitored 1,200 heavy-lorry movements through the gate in one day, said Deputy Guille, and others were concerned about the dangers of overloading.

Six-wheel vehicles can be too heavy to use the site’s weighbridge, so some fear that drivers could unknowingly be leaving it carrying unsafe loads.

But Mr Meeks said those fears were unfounded and that the assessment was thorough and valid.

‘There are no six-wheel lorries coming out of that entrance. Those vehicles no longer operate. We no longer handle sand and aggregate, which is what those lorries are used for.’

Mr Meeks also said the company that did the assessment had been suggested to him by the States, which had used it in the past.

‘The assessment has been done by one of the leading companies in the UK and they were trusted by the States of Guernsey.

‘All I want to do is bring this to a speedy conclusion and there’s nothing here that couldn’t be solved over a cup of tea at Frossard House.’

Article posted on 30th October, 2007 - 12.00am