Transport in Guernsey

Guernsey is the second largest of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Common Travel Area, allowing passport-free travel to and from the United Kingdom or Jersey. Travel to and from mainland Europe requires a passport or an EU national identity document. Non EU citizens may need a visa.

Ruette Tranquille

Air

Guernsey Airport is located 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of St Peter Port, the island’s capital. Airlines operating scheduled services to and from Guernsey are Aurigny (owned by the States of Guernsey), Blue Islands from May 2016 are operating as a FlyBe franchise holder, and FlyBe itself. They fly to a number of destinations.

Waves operates services between Guernsey and Jersey or Alderney.

Alderney Airport has regular scheduled flights available to Southampton and Guernsey operated by Aurigny.

Both airports have private aircraft facilities and annual air rallies.

Roads

Traffic in Guernsey drives on the left. Roads are generally narrow, with speed limits of 25 miles (40 km) per hour in urban areas and 35 miles (56 km) per hour elsewhere. Motor tax was abolished in Guernsey from 1 January 2008. There are seven taxi ranks in St Peter Port. (Taxi ranks) Vehicle registration plates in Guernsey carry between one and five numerals only; the international identification sticker/plate is "GBG". Those in Alderney have "GBA". The registration plate has the letter AY prefixing a number.

Most road markings are the same as the UK, with the exception of:

  • A yellow line across the exit of a minor road means stop and give way to traffic on the major road. A yellow arrow painted on the road gives warning of a yellow stop line ahead.
  • Junctions marked Filter in Turn. At these junctions all directions have equal priority.
  • Yellow kerb side no stopping lines are single lines and mean you must not stop for any reason, other than to avoid an accident.

Buses

CT Plus Guernsey Bus
Former Guernsey bus - now preserved UK

Bus services are operated by CT Plus Guernsey on behalf of the Environment Department of the States of Guernsey (the island’s government). Vehicles used are based on buses used in the UK but with a slightly narrower construction, to allow them to circulate on the island's narrow roads, legal limit 2.31 metres (7' 6¾"). A number of narrower (and shorter) StreetVibe buses will be on the roads from May 2017.[1]

All bus fares have a fixed price of £1 per journey, irrespective of distance travelled. Passes covering unlimited travel for a day or more and family travel passes are available. 1.65m journeys were taken in 2016.[2]

Private hire coaches and coach tours are available from Intransit, Island Coachways and Island Taxis

Cycling

Cycling is encouraged in Guernsey although there are currently few cycle lanes on main roads, the creation of Ruettes Tranquilles provides safer and more pleasant cycle friendly roads. The States of Guernsey provides details of cycling laws and recommendations for safety as well as details of cycle hire businesses. Sark is a popular cycle-friendly island.

Taxis

Guernsey has a regulated, licensed taxi service based at three ranks in central St Peter Port, St Sampson's (at 'The Bridge') and at Guernsey Airport. Taxis can also be called or phoned.

Accessible taxis capable of transporting a wheelchair passenger and with improved lighting to assist people who may have a visual impairment are available.

Visit Guernsey website has a list of taxi operators.

Petit Train

A "Petit Train" called "Victor" transports people around St Peter Port throughout the summer months.

Sea

Condor Ferries operate services to Poole and Portsmouth in England, St Malo in France, and to Jersey. Condor Ferries became the main operator to the UK following the closure of British Channel Island Ferries in 1994. Previously Sealink (and its railway ferries predecessors) had been the main operator for many decades. Freight goes on a traditional ferry via Portsmouth.

The French company Manche Îles Express operates a summer passenger-only ferry service between Guernsey and three small ports in Normandy, France: Barneville-Carteret, Diélette and Granville. Not every port is served daily.

The Isle of Sark Shipping Company operates small ferries to Sark. The service takes 45 minutes for the 9 miles (14 km) crossing.

Bumblebee offered seasonal transfers from Guernsey to Alderney until the service ceased late 2015.[3]

Travel Trident provides small ferries for the 20 minute ride to Herm.

Alderney Shipping operates freight routes between Poole, Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney.

Railways

Alderney

The Alderney Railway provides a rail link of approximately two miles, with a regular timetabled service during the summer months and at seasonal festivals including Easter and Christmas. It is now the only working railway on the Channel Islands to provide a public transport link. It is also one of the oldest railways in the British Isles, dating from 1847, and carried Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as the first 'official' passengers in 1857.[4]

There is also a 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) gauge miniature railway on Alderney, which operates during the summer months.[5]

Guernsey

There are currently no railway services on Guernsey. The Guernsey Railway, which was virtually an electric tramway, and which began working on 20 February 1892, was abandoned on 9 June 1934. It replaced an earlier transport system which was worked by steam, and was named the Guernsey Steam Tramway. The latter began service on 6 June 1879 with six locomotives.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Narrower buses from May". Guernsey Press. 12 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Number of bus passengers reaches record high in 2016". Guernsey Press. 12 January 2017.
  3. ↑ "Bumblebee calls it a day on Alderney ferry service". Guernsey Press. 12 February 2016.
  4. ↑ See references at the Island tourist website.
  5. ↑ See miniature railway webpage here.
  6. ↑ Notes on the Railway taken from The Railway Magazine, September 1934 edition
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