Pay parking plans thrown out

The States refused to pass the Traffic Committee's policy letter

Plans by Guernsey's Traffic Committee for pay parking and an improved bus service are in tatters.

The States refused to pass their policy letter, which would have set the parking charge at 40p an hour.

That was despite the insistence of Traffic Committee president, Deputy Pat Mellor, that the charge was necessary.

The House had already rejected amendments which would have seen lower charges of 20p or 30p per hour.

Deputy Mellor told the House: "We needed to have an incentive to encourage people out of their cars.

"We went for a figure which we believe will make it work.

"If members of the House choose to go for a lower figure, it will not work as efficiently as the figure that the Traffic Committee has calculated."