Mixed reaction for 2025 Guernsey Rally

Some Guernsey residents said they were concerned about noise and pollution

Environmentalists and some residents have criticised plans for a Guernsey car rally set to take place in 2025.

The event is being brought back after it was previously cancelled after the States said it could not justify the administrative costs involved.

Critics said it was an "inappropriate" sport "all about... burning fossil fuels, noise and speed”, and could damage roads and infrastructure.

Rally bosses and tourism leaders said the island would benefit financially from tourists visiting for the event during an off-season period.

'Noise and speed'

The rally’s organising committee confirmed it had been "given the go-ahead to start planning a rally for 2025".

Environmentalist Rosie Dorey said: “We know what the environmental problems are.

"We know that the environment is heavily stressed and I think again it’s inappropriate to have a sport that relies - in fact, is all about - burning fossil fuels, noise and speed.”

The first rally was organised in 2018 by Guernsey Rally President Karl Marshall and a group of volunteers, and consisted of 16 stages.

Mr Marshall said he believed the island would benefit financially from tourists visiting for the event.

'Inevitable crashes'

The event had previously attracted complaints from the public which the States of Guernsey said took time to manage.

Anti-rally campaigner and resident Tim Langlois said: “The noise, the pollution; we shouldn’t be running rally or turning Guernsey roads into racing car tracks."

He said one of the reasons why he objected to it was due to the "damage they do to the built infrastructure".

Mr Langlois said: "We have old granite walls and abreuvoirs [water troughs] and things like this – they inevitably crash into these things and knock them down.

'Not a Nimby'

"They say: 'We will build them up again,' and you can’t do that. It is just ridiculous.

“On top of that, it locks people into their houses. We can’t get out of the house because the road is closed.

"It’s not a NIMBY [not in my back yard] thing, it’s I have a general concern about the whole island here."

He added: "I wouldn’t want to see the rally run past anybody's house.”

Hannah Beacom, chairwoman of the Guernsey Tourism Board, said the rally boosted visitor numbers during off-season months.