There Wasn’t Plenty for 20

The Treasury was unable to support the DoI’s plans to introduce 20mph zones in all of the island’s residential areas.

Minister Dr Alex Allinson was asked why funding for 20mph ones and other measures around schools was refused by Rob Mercer MLC.

As part of the 2022/23 budget process, the DoI requested a total of £2.9m over three years for the implementation of 20mph speed limits in all residents areas of the island. The cash would’ve covered signage, lining and physical changes to roads.

Dr Allinson said: ‘As you are aware, the government’s capital programme has been under significant pressure for the last few years and this continues to be the case. Treasury review and assess the business cases and decide on which spending proposals to support depending on the stated priorities of the department in question and also Government as a whole.’

He added: ‘The Department noted that they were unable to fund the physical changes to highways from revenue budgets. The Treasury considered this request for additional funding against all other competing requests and was unable to accommodate the amount with the financial resources available in the budget for the current financial year.’