THE Council of Ministers has not yet come clean on its tax policy. The Treasury Minister has just confirmed that there will be no tax rises in the 2019 budget but that action would need to be taken to meet increasing costs at some point.Likewise, the Chief Minister stated that tax rises are on the cards but without any detail as to what or when.
The new Strategic Plan contains the usual lists of worthy projects but no explanation on their funding. Under the health section, ministers have committed to improving mental health care. This is an area that has been neglected for many years and will need extra monies. In addition, there will be extra running and staff costs associated with the new larger hospital. This will total tens of millions of pounds but the taxpaying public will have to wait until next year to hear the bad news.
To promote good health, ministers want to encourage active travel – walking and cycling. On a small island, it is disappointing that we have become so reliant on the internal combustion engine and any moves to get us out of motor vehicles must be applauded. Well over half of all workers normally drive to work, with just over one-third walking or cycling. These figures have hardly changed in the last eight years.
Recent UK press reports have publicised the growth of fully state-subsidised bus systems such as those in Dunkerque and Tallinn. This idea has received political support locally as a possible solution to our traffic problems. Currently bus travel makes up just a few percent of commuter traffic. LibertyBus use around 60 buses in Jersey, giving a maximum capacity of just over 2,000 passengers. Whereas free buses could encourage some commuters to swap their car for a bus, it would be uneconomic to provide enough buses and drivers to make a significant difference to rush-hour traffic.
Bus routes will never provide a good geographic coverage of Jersey and running over-sized buses during the day with just a few passengers is environmentally damaging. Islanders already pay around £4 million annually to support the bus service with most passengers charged £2 a trip. A free service would add many millions to the taxpayers’ bill at a time of considerable fiscal uncertainty and would do nothing to encourage the active travel policies that we should be working towards.
