Car park planning application for St. Peter Port

Re: Planning Application No. PAPP/2008/3047

A planning application has been submitted for a 3 storey car park for 84 cars, to be situated between Don St. and Les Canichers in St Peter Port.

Vehicles account for 20 percent of Guernsey's greenhouse gas emissions.  Our island will not meet its emission reduction targets if our Environment Department continues to give permission for additional car parking in St Peter Port.  

Clearly, such permission will invite more cars to commute into town and will prove that Guernsey is not tackling the overuse of vehicles on the island.  

Heavy traffic discourages people from cheaper and healthier options such as taking the bus or bicycling or walking to their destination.

The city of Copenhagen has transformed its waterfront by adopting a policy of reducing car parking by 2% each year. This has encouraged some commuters to leave their cars at home and use alternative means of travel.  Although this policy might create temporary difficulties, the improvement to the quality of life in the city has benefited everyone.  Reducing the availability for parking has reduced car use.

Please write to Planning, Environment Department, Sir Charles Frossard House, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1FH if you are concerned about this application and its implications for traffic congestion in St. Peter Port and for Guernsey's C02 emissions.