Deputy Gavin St Pier and Deputy Al Brouard had lodged an amendment against a planned States debate on resurfacing Alderney’s runway which could have led to changing the island’s air links for sea links.
With widespread opposition in Alderney, the island’s new representatives in the States of Guernsey spoke against the idea while accusing certain Deputies in Guernsey of failing Alderney.
Both Alderney States Members Steve Roberts and Alex Snowdon found support from Sarnian politicians with 34 deputies eventually voting against the amendment suggesting a ferry service be considered. Just the five members of Policy and Resources voted in favour.
Pictured: Alderney’s runway.
The latest debate on the future of Alderney’s runway showed some clear divisions within the States of Guernsey over how the relationship between the two islands should be managed.
Alderney States Member Steve Roberts said the amendment, which led to the ferry idea being suggested, had no support in Alderney and that it was simply about the 1948 agreement, which he said is a separate issue.
He said; “the rundown runway is not about the 1948 agreement – it’s about a rolling ball that has been kicked many times…”
He warned Alderney’s runway could be closed if the CAA declare it unfit as it is already in such a poor state of repair. He said some operators have already said they’re reluctant to provide services, but that any talk of ferries should be supplementary to the island’s air links – not seen as a replacement.
He said if the States of Guernsey had backed calls for a ferry service instead of flights to Alderney, then money would have to be spent upgrading the harbour facilities as bigger ferries would need bigger docking facilities.
He also asked what would happen with medical patients, saying the States of Guernsey would be forcing Alderney back into the Victorian era without an airport.
Mr Roberts also suggested some unfair moves in local politics saying closing Alderney’s runway would be “self inflicted ruin on parts of the Bailiwick” and said any serious incident which happened because of the poor state of the runway would lie on the shoulders of all those involved in the debate.
Mr Roberts agreed the 1948 agreement does need looking at but said he had been surprised by the late addition of this amendment, having recently had talks with Deputy St Pier about a joint economic development plan for the two islands. He said nine days later he got a draft copy of the amendment.
Mr Roberts argued there was a compelling case to refurbish Alderney’s runway and the vast majority of Guernsey’s States members agreed. The work will cost £12million.
Pictured: Deputy Peter Roffey.
Among those backing the improvements to Alderney runway was Deputy Peter Roffey, who described himself as a huge supporter of Alderney. He said he does understand the concerns raised by Policy and Resources about forking out hundreds of thousands of pounds on a runway, for an island seemingly in decline, and he also agreed with many others that the 1948 agreement between the two islands needs urgent attention, but Deputy Roffey said there are wider issues to consider including Guernsey’s population control laws which he would like changed to benefit young people from Alderney and Sark.
He said he could understand why Policy & Resources want to change the 1948 agreement and why they want to tackle some of Alderney’s economic problems, but he said they have probably got the wrong target here, with the runway.
Deputy Roffey said an air strip is quite simply required and as it has been waiting for capital investment for almost ten years he voted in favour of spending money on it now.
However, he agreed other islands have survived without an airstrip and that a ferry link should be considered for Alderney – and he would back research into that – but not like this.
Deputy Roffey did suggest that Alderney’s politicians and residents should be a little bit less aggressive in their dealings with Guernsey and should make fewer allegations about being ‘shafted by Guernsey’ which he said are a very long way from being true.
Pictured: Deputy Neil Inder.
While, Deputy Neil Inder called himself a patriotic man of the Bailiwick he was less supportive of Alderney saying he doesn’t know what is wrong with it, pointing out that with France, England and the other Channel Islands surrounding it, the problem can’t all be about connections.
He said the island has its own responsibilities and it should ‘stop whining about all of the problems that appear to be down to connections’.
He said with five or six flights a day from Guernsey, there are ample connections with Guernsey and that Guernsey does a lot for Alderney, so Alderney needs to stop moaning.
Despite the drubbing, it was a good debate; I am actually more optimistic that in the context of needing to make some imminent decisions in respect of the PSO, we can review the 1948 Agreement and develop a 21st century version which is fit for purpose and works for both islands. https://t.co/AXYEhMG5yL
— Gavin St Pier (@gavinstpier) January 31, 2019
With 34 voting in favour of plans to refurbish Alderney’s runway, £12million will now be spent resurfacing the asphalt on the runway, taxiway and apron, restoring the runway to its regulation width, installing central lights down the runway and other improvements to lighting and drainage systems.
Work on the runway is still some way off though and isn’t expected to be finished before 2021, regardless of what P&R does next.
In the meantime, Deputy St Pier is pleased this debate has refocused the mind on the 1948 agreement.
Pictured top: Alderney Airport.
