Thursday 30 March 2023
With Guernsey welcoming up to three thousand visitors for the Island Games, the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure is aware that this is likely to impact how people will move around the Island at that busy time. Therefore, in order to make transport easier for islanders and visitors, the Committee has decided to offer free bus travel during the week-long games.
The free bus journeys will start the day before the games on Friday 7th July, when many visitors will be arriving, and will continue until the end of the games on Friday 14th July.
All regular services, apart from late-night Friday and Saturday buses, will be free. As with all fares now, contactless and puffinpass products will be the only accepted method of payment on the late-night buses.
Deputy Andy Cameron, Member of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure and Political Lead on Sport for the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:
"During the games we want to make it as easy and convenient as possible for both visitors and residents to get around the island to enjoy what I'm sure will be a fantastic Island Games. We'll have a lot of visitors at a time when there will be a significant number of road closures and suspension of public parking to facilitate the events, so we're keen to do what we can do to reduce pressure on our road network and avoid potential congestion. We want the Games to be a positive experience for everyone in Guernsey, whether they live here or whether they're visiting for the first time.
"Part of this is about supporting the smooth running of transport for competitors and other visitors, of course, but we hope locals who don't normally catch the bus might give it a try."
Dame Mary Perkins, Chair of the Guernsey 2023 NatWest International Island Games Organising Committee, said:
"We are delighted to hear the news about free bus travel for locals and visitors alike for the week of the Games. With nearly 3,000 team members expected from 24 islands, we know that the roads will be busy, particularly around our sporting venues. We hope that the free bus travel will enable people to get to as many events as possible, cheer on all of the participants and show them a real Guernsey welcome."
