Wednesday 31 December 2014
Guernsey Press Enquiry:
I see the department has submitted an application for a change of use of section of land at the Longue Hougue slaughterhouse to enable large goods vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle tests to be carried out and lay hard surface area.
Can Environment please explain why this application has been submitted?
Why has this area at longue hougue been selected?
Does this mean testing in other areas (fontaine?) will cease?
Environment Department Response:
For many years, the Traffic and Transport Services Unit of the Department has been conducting off-road manoeuvres for Large Goods Vehicles (LGV)/Passenger Carrying Vehicles (PCV) and car and trailer practical driving tests adjacent to Le Murier, along the current access road to Fontaines Vinery.
However, the site continues to represent a "compromise solution", from a testing standards perspective and the close proximity of an increasingly busy light industrial facility also makes it more problematic. A number of tests in recent months have had to be cancelled at very short notice or even mid test due to external factors making the site temporarily unusable.
Therefore, the Environment Department has made great efforts to find an alternative and cost effective solution but until recently, has been unsuccessful in its attempts to find an appropriate site. However, a suitable piece of States owned land has recently been made available to the Department by Commerce and Employment for this purpose. The area is a section of land adjacent the New Slaughter House at Longue Hougue which, with the addition of a small amount of extra hard surfaced area, will provide an ideal location close to the Department's Bulwer Avenue offices where practical driving test manoeuvres can be carried out.
Subject to obtaining the necessary planning permission the Department will have the ability to use the site on any weekday morning or afternoon except Tuesdays, which gives far greater availability than at the present site, enabling more tests to be carried out during weeks of high demand. More importantly, it does not have any of the health and safety issues that the Department has to contend with at its current site.
This initiative shows the benefit of greater inter-departmental cooperation and will ensure that a cost effective and much improved facility is provided to the Driving Test Service.
Contact Information:
Colin Le Page, Principal Traffic Officer (Strategy and Projects)
Environment Department
Tel: 243400
