Free Liberation Day scheduled bus service

The full timetable has been published for the free Liberation Day scheduled bus service, which will enable islanders to plan their journeys for the day of celebrations on 9 May, as the island celebrates the 80th anniversary of Liberation.  

The Committee for Environment & Infrastructure has agreed to provide an island-wide, free Liberation Day bus service. The service, provided by Stagecoach, will be running throughout the day and into the evening. The timetable is available to view and download here.  

The Liberation Day service will be based on a Saturday timetable, providing an enhanced and extended service to islanders in comparison to a regular bank holiday offering, with some variations to accommodate the Liberation Cavalcade as it moves around the north of the island and into St Peter Port. Bus diversions will also be in place at L’Eree between 12.00 and 13:30pm due to the road closure while the parish parade takes place.  

Buses are expected to be very popular throughout the day and continuing on to the night services, so users are encouraged to plan their travel well in advance and leave plenty of time to complete their journey. At peak travel times, there may be occasions when buses are at capacity and unable to stop to allow more passengers on, so users should bear this in mind when considering the time it may take to complete their journey.  

Where possible, users coming into St Peter Port are encouraged to alight at bus stops approaching Town, such as Glategny Esplanade and St Julians Avenue, to ease congestion and make it easier for the buses to go into their holding bay. Similarly, when boarding services for the journey home, bus users are asked to queue for the relevant services in an orderly manner and anticipate that some services may be oversubscribed.  

Users should note that the final destination and temporary bus terminus in Town will be located at White Rock. There will be no bus services from the permanent bus terminus, which will be inside the pedestrianised zone.   

L’Eree Pre-booked Night Bus

On 9 May, in addition to the standard bus service, bespoke, pre-booked routes are being provided at 11.10pm from the L’Eree bus stop and car park opposite the old L’Eree Hotel, to enable attendees of the St Pierre du Bois Parish Celebrations to travel home safely and cater to predicted additional demand. It is important to note that these services are on a pre-booked basis only. 

The bus routes for these pre-booked buses will be as follows:  

• ROUTE ONE: Perelle – Vazon Bay – Cobo Bay – Grandes Rocques – Port Soif – Hougue du Pommier – L’Aumone & the Rohais 

• ROUTE TWO: Longfrie – Bas Courtils – St Martin’s Village – Town Terminus 

• ROUTE THREE: Torteval – Airport – St Martin’s Village – Town Terminus 

• ROUTE FOUR: Mont Saint – Kings Mills – Saumarez Park – L’Islet – L’Ancresse – Bordeaux – The Bridge 

Tickets are first-come, first-served, and can be pre-booked here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/govgg/e-jqgxgp 

Once these free tickets have been allocated, those unsuccessful who are attending L’Eree celebrations are strongly advised to have planned alternative travel home, as there won’t be additional capacity on these pre-booked night buses.  

Tickets for wheelchair users for each route are available under the 11.05pm ticket option. Those who do not require a wheelchair can book on the 11.10pm option for every route - please be aware, passengers booking a standard ticket may be required to stand for all or part of the journey.  

Users should note, despite showing slightly different times, the wheelchair and non-wheelchair tickets are for the same bus services – the different times are simply a mechanism for ensuring users book the correct ticket.  

Deputy Sue Aldwell, Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:  

"This big milestone celebration has required a phenomenal community and cross-island effort to bring together. One example of this is the offer of a free bus service - which is much more extensive than the island’s normal bank holiday service - to ensure islanders can participate fully in the celebrations. On behalf of the Liberation Day Organising Committee and the Education, Sport & Culture Committee, I extend a warm thank you to the Environment & Infrastructure Committee for offering this free service, as well as to Stagecoach and all the bus drivers who will be working this bank holiday.”  

Deputy Adrian Gabriel, Vice-President of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure, said:  

"Liberation Day is a time for everyone in our community to come together and celebrate our shared history. The Committee is delighted to be offering this free bus service, as we want to ensure that everyone can take part in the day’s events safely and sustainably. We recognise the significance of the day and hope to assist with the challenge of limited parking provision. We also hope this free offer presents an opportunity for people to try out the bus service and consider it as a future means for transport or commuting beyond Liberation Day.” 

Peter Knight, MD of Stagecoach South West, said:  

“We are proud to support Guernsey’s Liberation Day commemorations by providing bus services for this important occasion. It’s an honour for Stagecoach to play a part in helping the community come together and remember such a significant day in the island’s history.” 

Extensive travel and access information, including details of Park & Ride, bicycle and Blue Badge parking, can be found here: liberationday.gg/transport-accessibility