Guernsey students encouraged to walk and cycle to school

Students in Guernsey are being encouraged to walk and cycle to school because of limited spaces on buses. Credit: PA

Students in Guernsey are being encouraged to walk and cycle to school because of limited spaces on buses.

Schools across the island are due to reopen on Monday 8 June.

Bus services will be operating with reduced seating to ensure social distancing guidelines are adhered to.

Guernsey's government is also asking that people avoid travelling by car where possible to avoid traffic congestion.

For families where it is necessary for the student to travel by bus, parents and carers will have to fill in a form expressing an interest in a place fortheir child.

The form is included in the guidance document about returning to school which was sent to parents and published yesterday.

If more students need a seat on a bus than the reduced capacity will allow, priority will be given to those that live furthest away from their school.

The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure has conducted a number of surveys, which it says indicates more people would walk or ride a bike if the roads felt safer, it says that will be a key focus in facilitating active travel to school.

Safety measures would include:

  • Pop-up pavements and crossings

  • Clearways

  • Time-limited speed limits

  • Traffic-free school zones

  • Temporary traffic calming infrastructure

As schools prepare to reopen on Monday, Guernsey's Director of Public Health is reminding islanders that social distancing "remains really important".