3 ROADS

The road network on the Island has remained unchanged for many years and has relatively little traffic so that traffic jams are rare. There are few sections of dual carriageway, the majority of the roads being a single carriageway in each direction, and many of the side roads being only single track. The road system has been improved over the years to make certain parts wider to remove dangerous corners. However, the system is still not up to the standard of the mainland, and this is one of the attractions of the Island. Some people, however, still treat the roads as if they were much better than they actually are!

To counteract the problems of speeding it has been suggested that a blanket 40 mph speed restriction should be imposed as in the Channel Islands, however there is much opposition to this. Alternative methods of slowing down traffic have been tried including the placing of bollards in the road to force vehicles to slow to pass them. These have also attracted criticism because they form obstructions to the passage of lorries and buses and represent hazards to the inattentive driver. The other item of contention is the provision of car parking, and in particular the conflict of interests between the local inhabitants and the tourists. There will probably never be a satisfactory resolution, but the local council tries to balance the interests by the provision of long term, short term and shopping car parks, and by making charges which influence the usage of the various parks. If premises are allowed to expand to attract further tourists, there is a danger of destroying the rural nature of the Island, which is the attraction to visit the Island.