21/03/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Jersey's tourism department could be scrapped and replaced after a 43%

fall in visitor numbers over the past 15 years. You need to halt that

decline, turn it round and invigorate The new body could be

called Visit Jersey. Growth. It's not clear what will happen to

existing staff. Also tonight. A free bus service, a width tax on

vehicles and more cycle lanes. New plans are unveiled to drive cars off

the road in Guernsey. June `` Jersey rugby club repair for their showdown

tonight in Ealing. Jersey's state tourism department

could be scrapped and replaced with a non`government body called Visit

Jersey, in a bid to attract more people to the island. It follows a

dramatic decline in visitor numbers at a time when global tourism is

growing. The number of holiday makers has fallen by 43% in the last

15 years. In 1997 there were almost 600,000 leisure visitors, but that

has now dropped to just over 300,000. But with more aggressive

marketing, it's claimed within 15 years that could increase to 1

million. Jen Smith reports. Jersey? Its tourism heyday when the beaches

were full of holiday`maker, and the shops busy with people keen to part

with their cash. But Ness are scenes the modern

industry can currently only dream of. Visitor numbers have dwindled.

Hotels have closed and this year a further blow. Preston Travel which

brought thousands of tour lists to Jersey went out of business. Now the

industry needs help We are at a point where we can't afford any

further decline. Some have described ate as tipping point. We need to

halt that decline, turn it round and invigorate growth. ?6.5 million of

taxpayer money currently spent each year on Jersey's tourism department

could be given to Visit Jersey, without direct Government control it

is hoped it will market the island more aggressively, work more closely

with airlines and take bigger commercial risks. The man making the

recommendations briefed Jersey's hospitality industry today, his

ideas were well received. You can feel it from the mood in the room,

it has been a number of years we wanted to hear that sort of speech.

Delighted. It is what I joined for. I acted as President to hear those

words. It is time for a new deal for tourism. The finance industry has

been the big heavy weight and focus for the States, and I think it nice

to see finally we have seen a bit of a return back to hospitality. There

are 18 full`time staff at Jersey Tourism. The new body will be much

smaller. There are concerns and the interests of staff will be very

carefully considered and looked after as part of the process,

through the change. The model we currently have has not and is not

therefore likely to deliver returning our industry to growth.

That is something we have got to do something about. Jersey tourism

didn't want to comment today. A free bus service, a width tax on

vehicles and more cycle lanes. Just some of the proposals from

Guernsey's Environment Department to drive cars off the road and make

alternative transport more attractive. But the scale of the job

is daunting. There are 86,000 registered vehicles for 63,000

residents. The long`awaited transport strategy has been released

today. As Mike Wilkins reports, not everyone in the Environment

Department agrees with the proposals.

Traffic. There is too much on the roads, a view held by many in the

islands, including the Environment Department. And now, it wants to

reduce the dominance of the private motor vehicle. More cycle lane, more

bus routes and increased frequency will aim to make it easier and safer

to use alternative transport, but there are more am ambitious

proppings. This report contains a lot of information but some of the

key suggestions are things such as introducing a free bus service,

excluding the night service, there is a proposal to introduce a width

attacks and carbon emission tax for new and second`hand cars and it

wouldn't be a Transport 2000 strategy without the discussion of

paid parking but there aren't going to be any proposals to introduce it.

If you don't have to use your car for a journey, look at the other

ways you can travel. You can walk, cycle, you can take the bus, you can

car share, you can motorbike, and look that the and give it a bit of

thought. However, there are divisions within

the Environment Department, as two of the five board members are

submitting their own proposal, and one is to have paid parking: It is

going to be provision of funding for the much`needed bus depot which is

not addresses in the main report. We are proposing subsidies for small

and low`emission and electric vehicles, we are not proposing any

increase in fuel duty, unlike the main report but we will propose paid

parking for long stay. We have heard from the politician,

but what do you think of their vision to encourage us out of our

cars? It is a bit like saying to people, go back to using a manual

washing machine, rather than an automatic. We have got used to it.

We like it and we don't want to go back to something that is not as

good. Why don't they do smaller buses for

people? I think the buses are too big, too wide. The people that are

shouting about it all the time ought to count and see how many they have

got in their own backyard, before trying to cut down on some of the.

Tams that need their cars. There are many other proposals to

get the island out of its traffic jam and next month it will be up to

the staets to decide. `` States.

Staying with travel, and the airline Aurigny's been given the go`ahead to

start flying between Guernsey and London City. Permission's been

granted by the Commerce and Employment Department to run a

passenger and cargo service to the airport. It should start this

summer. Aurigny says it's just one of the many potential routes it's

currently working on. We are a rooking at a trilander replacement.

We have license, we are working out when we can announce we will start

that route, we got the change at Gatwick and plus there is a load of

changes going on in the organisation, so I think now we need

to stabilise the company, and make sure we do what we have already got

planned to do, do it as well as we can. A by`election is to be held in

Alderney to elect a new States Member. It follows the death of Paul

Arditti earlier this year. People have until 31st March to put

themselves forward. Voting will take place on April 12th. Guernsey's

recompression chamber, used by divers who get the bends, is out of

action for the foreseeable future. Paid for entirely by public

donations, St John Ambulance and Rescue is currently deciding whether

to spend the money needed to upgrade it. In the mean time, divers will

have to travel to Jersey or Plymouth. Penny Elderfield reports.

It takes a fair bit of training to dive safely. But once you are down

there is another world on our doorstep, ripe for exploring.

But like all sports, there are risks and if a diver comes up too quickly

there is a chance they could get the bends. If you come up too quickly,

or in some cases if you have got an existing heart condition, the gas

comes out too quickly it is similar to opening a bottle of coke too

quickly. I am sure you can imagine having bubbles in your bloodstream

is not a good thing. It doesn't happen often but when it does this

is where local dives are treated. Round three a year use this

recompression chamber. It works by recreating the lower pressure you

get under water. If a diver does require treatment they can spend

anything between two or eight hours in this chamber, but with this

facility now closed, the only option will be to go to Jersey, or

Plymouth. To get this one working again,

initial lit would need to be tested. That alone would cost ?11,000 and

the upgrades needed would only add to the bill. So the question is

whether to go down that route or just make using Jersey's chamber the

norm There are only 16 Chambers registered in the UK, so travelling

distances to get to the nearest facile any the UK are long,

therefore the distance between here and Jersey we do not see as a big

disadvantage. The quicker you get treatment, the better so many local

divers will feel it an investment that is worth making, but while the

decision is made whether do that the advice as always is if you are

planning on doing a bit of this, be wear of the risks. Tonight is the

night for Jersey Rugby Club. It's their chance to edge closer to

Championship survival when they face the bottom club Ealing in around an

hour's time. A win for the islanders would almost secure their place in

the division and put their opponents on the brink of relegation. Our

Sports Editor Tim Pryor is in Ealing for the match. This is a huge match

for both of these sides, Jersey and Ealing trail finders have been

battling against relegation all season long, if Jersey can win

tonight, they are almost guaranteed their place in the Championship for

next season. At the same time they leave Ealing back on the brink of

relegation. Jersey could open up a 17 point gap in the table. The boss

knows there is a big challenge ahead. The players have looked

their own performance, we are their own performance, we are

looking at the permutations ahead of us, you know, if Nottingham don't

get a result, can we overtake them? We don't want to talk about being in

the bottom, we want to talk about where we can do moving forward. He

will make three changes tonight. Among them is Nicky Griffiths who

comes back into the line up. There is live commentary this evening,

kick off St a 7.5. In football, Guernsey FC travel to

league leaders Peacehaven Telscombe. The Green Lions closed

the gap on second`place Leatherhead with a 3`1 win last night over

Whitstable Town, and three points tomorrow lunchtime are crucial if

they're to reel them in. You can hear coverage of the game on BBC

Radio Guernsey from midday, with kick`off at 12.45.

More than 60 people have already signed up to be Games Makers at next

year's Island Games in Jersey. Inspired by the London 2012

volunteers, organisers hope to find 400 enthusiastic recruits to help

out during the Games. Applications opened this morning. 20`year`old

student Dan Garton was an early subscriber. I have always enjoyed

sport, all sorts of sports, rugby, tennis, cricket, football, anything

there is and I have wanted to get involved and have, they want to make

it the best it is, so I would love to get involved with it. If they

really enjoy being part of something, they enjoy adding value,

enjoy being part of a team, come and join us.

What does the weekend's wet holder? It was beautiful earlier on today.

Then the clouds came over. And I think that is the theme for the

weekend. It is a bit. We were lucky with what

we had this morning, the fine greerted us as we came to work, the

showers are round now, there are more showers to come tomorrow, and

while we may see some sunshine tomorrow, the showers are never

going to be too far away. Not the fine start we saw this morning. Let

us deal with this evening. That important rugby match in Ealing this

evening, kick off is at 7.45. There are showers round. Nothing that the

rugby players can't contend with. Showers and temperatures round eight

or nine degrees and blustery condition, you can follow the

commentary on BBC Radio Jersey. The forecast for the rest of us, as

we head into the weekend is cold, a lot colder than it has been. It is

breezy, there will be sunshine, but equally there will be showers too

and some will be heavy. Watching that clump of cloud as it

develops and moves closer to us, that will bring a line of frequent

showers later on this evening, in fact more rain for a time, each time

we get a weather system coming through it introduces slightly

colder air, so west or north`west winds tomorrow evening, and those

showers dying away on Sunday, Sunday in the second half of the day we

should see some sunshine return. So the showers overnight tonight,

will just keep on come, they are beginning to appear out to the west,

they will follow through on that brisk breeze, which will veer

westerly, and morning temperatures starting at round five or six

degrees, tomorrow is a blustery day and also the showers will be

frequent. I think occasionally we will see one of hail, or a rumble of

thunder. In between in the afternoon there will be sunny spells, but it

is not very warm with a wind chill, it will feel colder than the

temperature suggests of eight or nine degrees. There is the coastal

waters forecast. Force five, occasionally six in the

showers, and a quick look at the times of high water.

If you are heading to do some surfing it will be on the messy side

P that is it for now. Back with you at

10.25. have tried to answer them over the

last 30 years and paid into a system I have otherwise never touched.

People with dementia and their carers are receiving extra support,

thanks to a dedicated team of specialist nurses. The Admiral

Nurses have been provided by Cornwall Care, and the charity

Dementia UK and, as Alison Johns reports, more than 100 people have

already been referred to them for help.

78`year`old Pearl Driscoll is living with dementia. Her sisters say they

first noticed signs of it about five years ago. Today, they are looking

at family photos to help Pearl remember the past. She used to be a

nurse, and lived an independent life in Bodmin. But her family found it

increasingly difficult to cope, as the dementia got worse. We had an

awful lot to contend with, really. Medicals, doctors. Then, the

Lifeline people would ring us up, Pearl was not answering. She had

pulled her bell. OK, we'll have to run up, whatever. Really, we just

dealt with it as it came along, you did the best you could.

A carer told them about the new Admiral Nurses. And Lorraine

Butterworth started to help them. There were more and more

difficulties. She had a number of falls, and was becoming more

disorientated within her own home, couldn't find her way around her own

home. So, I supported the family, really, through the best`interest

decisions, and through the transition into full`time care. The

nurses help carers both emotionally and practically, putting them in

touch with the right authorities. And helping them to carry on

communicating when just talking becomes difficult.

Don't ever be afraid to get hold of an Admiral Nurse. Especially if

you're on your own, definitely. Cornwall Care provided more than

half the funding for the nurses, and Dementia UK raised ?60,000 to help

families like Pearl's move forward. There are fears that a traditional

method of fishing on the Devon`Cornwall border is under

threat. Net fishing for salmon has taken place on the River Tamar for

almost 100 years. Now, the handful of men allowed to fish there are

concerned they'll be the last, because of new laws making it

virtually impossible for their licences to be passed on. John Danks

has the story. It is a way of life in the Tamar

Valley. It was a fishing community, a salmon fishing community at

Saltash Ben. It is all gone now. These are the last of the net 's

men. In 2004, they agreed to stop fishing the ten years in a deal with

the Environment Agency to allow salmon stocks to recover. This year,

they are allowed back, but they are worried the tradition will die with

them. I agreed to give up my license, on condition that my

grandson would carry on. I was quite happy to do that. Eventually, at the

end of the ten years, they said, oh, no, they will only allow four of us

to go back. But, as the die off, the licences will not be issued. It will

be the end to the fishery. The Environment Agency says it

sympathisers but will not issue new licences due to the current state of

salmon stock. We're not able to pass licences to family members. We have

to advertise those licences to the public and to other people who have

fished here historically. But the fishermen are passionate about

that the powers that be have heard that the powers that be have heard

the word, net, and frightened we are scooping all the fish out. The men

are taking their cause to the fisheries Minister George used as

next month. `` Eustace. Time for some sports news now. And

Andy Birkett has visiting a school in Plymouth, to see a very special

world record attempt for Sport Relief.

Here we are in Coombe Dean School in Plymouth. And taking part in sports

relief today. Everyone has done a fun run. And Matt Brewster has done

something special. We will catch up with him in a minute. First, these

two are gearing up for a big year. They compete all over the country.

They are taking part in the World They are taking part in the World

Championships in the Netherlands. Grants BMX racing is on the up.

Sienna and her sister are in training for a big year ahead.

It is a big year for us because it is harder to get top three, let

alone first. But it will be really good, hopefully, another year of

really good, tough racing. Last year, you did really well, you

finished second in the country. Can you go one better this year?

Yes. The sisters compete in the National

Series, but living in the Penzance means a lot of travelling.

Last time, it was about a seven`hour trip, for a few minutes' racing, it

was 14 hours in the car. It is a fair bit of travelling but it is

worth it to see your kids do well. Last year's World Championships

happened to be in New Zealand, but that would have broken the bank

altogether, luckily enough this year it is in Rotterdam, bit closer on

the ferry. And the girls cannot wait.

Really excited, and the fact you get one week of school as well! Are you

not worried you might get hurt? Not really. You have pads and stuff.

Does it bother you? No, it doesn't really bother me either. There is

one question, who is the best rider? B. Me. Definitely me. No, me.

You will have to have a race to settle it.

And that was just for fun. You should see them in a serious race!

couple of minutes of rowing. Matt couple of minutes of rowing. Matt

Brewster is looking for a new world record for the 100,000 metres indoor

rowing. I have hit a wall on more than a few occasions over the last

seven hours. It feels never ending. I am wondering why I entered into

this. I know because if corruption macro it is for a good cause. `` I

know it is for a good cause. You have a lot of support here. Great

support all round from the people in Coombe Dean. We wish you all the

best for your world record attempt. And for everyone doing their bit

this weekend. Good luck to everyone. I met a few

people at my local gym doing their bit. I wished them well.

Earlier in the programme, we saw how this winter's storms have affected

the South West. As a result of the extreme weather, one of Devon's

finest country houses has a new attraction. The severe gales a few

weeks ago uprooted a huge tree at Knightshayes Court, near Tiverton,

leaving an enormous hole in the ground. John Henderson's been for a

poke around. It is a common enough site following

winter storms. 30 metre trees batted winter storms. 30 metre trees batted

to the ground. The last in a group of four trees recently came crashing

down at Knightshayes Court. It looks dramatic, and there is more. What do

we call this? It is a big wall. This is one of the route plates, 20 feet

wide. These are turkey Oaks, 150 years old. Three of them came down

came down a few weeks ago. The came down a few weeks ago. The

National Trust is keen for people to National Trust is keen for people to

come and explore this which might come in time, form part of an

adventure play area. This is a lovely space, we don't want to lose

it. A great place for people to come and see the magnitude of these

trees. We are looking to keep this. We will obviously make it safe. We

encourage people to come and look at these sites, it is an amazing

landscape. The recent storms have brought down more trees than ever,

and here, at least 400 in the past three years. Thousands more are

being replanted. Whilst it may look dramatic, there is no panic. We

manage things very practically. There is no real cause for alarm. It

is a cycle that happens. So some elderly giants may have been laid

low, but plenty more of these are still going strong.

Time now for the weather. Winter is on its way back? Not quite

winter but it is colder. It is not unusual to see a cold snap

in March. We haven't seen much frost so far this year. A noticeable frost

on Saturday night, quite a deep frost on Sunday night, ten touches

as low as `3. Probably not tonight, there is a breeze. The weekend

forecast is pretty much one of cold and breezy conditions, with showers,

a bit of sunshine, the risk of overnight frost. This lump of cloud

is the one we are watching carefully. A line of showers coming

through the Irish Sea giving an hour of persistent rain as it sweeps

through. Behind it, another will follow. Heavy showers through the

night. Saturday, generally, much more unsettled. This morning we had

sunshine, tomorrow morning, showers will be there at the start. Sunday,

high`pressure topples in. Clear skies on Sunday night will give the

risk of a frost. Showers have been quite frequent in the last hour. A

line of showers from the far West which is approaching the west coast

of Cornwall, gradually pulling in a hefty downpour of rain later this

evening. This was earlier today. In the sunshine. Actually a lovely day.

The breeze has been nicely. For most of us, with a bit of shelter and

sunshine, it wasn't a bad start. Blue sky, replaced by big clouds

which developed in the morning to give heavy showers in the afternoon.

The view from this part of Cornwall. And overnight, another line of

showers will rapidly follow. The showers will rapidly follow. The

activity will fade in little but still the risk of showers through to

dawn tomorrow morning. Overnight textures, probably three Celsius. ``

temperatures. Some of the showers tomorrow morning, particularly over

Dartmoor and higher ground, could give snow. For the rest of us,

showery rain, occasionally hailed, eight degrees top temperature ``

hail. Of the Isles of Scilly, breezy and cold. Showers will always be

close by. Here are the times of high water.

For our surfers, the waves are likely to be pretty big, but will be

messy. Here is the coastal waters forecast. It is a better day on

Sunday. Especially through the afternoon. More rain later on

Monday. Have a nice weekend. That's all from us. Join us again

during the Ten O'Clock News. Goodbye.