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Your islandYou are in: Jersey > People > Your island > On your bike  On your bikeThe final stretch of the tourism cycle network has been opened. Do you cycle? Around one hundred miles of safe routes across the island make up Jersey Tourism's Cycle Network. And today the final stretch of that network, which connects Les Quennevais to St Peter's Village, is officially being opened. It means people can now travel off-road right the way from town to Corbiere or St Peter, and it means there are more safe routes to three schools in the west of the island. You can now cycle from St Peter's Village to town without needing to travel on the road.  Donna Le Marrec, the Development Manager from Jersey Tourism, says the new cycle network is encouraging islanders and tourists to get on the bikes in Jersey. She told BBC Jersey: "We've looked at our 2008 figures and we think about 15 thousand people cycled in Jersey last year. "You only have to get on a boat to St Malo to see the number of French visitors that come over one their bicycles. "For us, from a visitor perspective its been a fantastic product really. It's just the nicest way to see Jersey. "If you get off the main roads and see the countryside and you can cycle around the whole island on route one. It's a lovely thing to do." The idea behind Jersey Tourism's Cycle Network is to provide one hundred miles of safe and useful routes across the island. And today the final stretch connecting Les Quennevais to St Peter's Village is officially open.  SchoolsIt means there's now a safer route to three schools in the west of the island - Les Quennevais, La Moye Primary and St Peter's Primary. Mark de Luca - Head of La Moye Primary School - is a keen cyclist and says pupils have already been trying out the route... "To be honest my catchment stretches from Bellview West over to La Moye but we have a huge cycling community at La Moye. Parents and Children. "I know several of them have cycled this route here when I was finding out where it went, because we were invited to take part in the launch, two or three of my young people actually said 'I've been along there and it was a bit bumpy'". On the footpathDesigning the island's cycle network has meant changing a number of laws, one change allows cyclists to now ride on footpaths.  The Minister for Economic Development, Senator Alan Maclean, whose department has helped fund the scheme, says he hopes more school children and communities will recognise the health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling and choose to leave their cars at home. There are also proposals to extend a similar route in the east of the island to connect town to Gorey Donna Le Marrec, explained that: "There was some discussion about trying to look at the old Eastern Railway which is unfortunately really all in private ownership now but there are plans to look at what we can down out in the East of the island to make those commuters safer as well." Over to youHow do you get to work or school in the mornings? Would you cycle if there was a cycle route from near your house? Is there a cycle route you could use to get to work? last updated: 13/01/2009 at 18:08 Have Your Say
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Nigel Mather You are in: Jersey > People > Your island > On your bike Your storiesWe catch up with five islanders working in the theatre |
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