Two Local Businesses. One Vision.
Jersey is a car-centric society. Jersey said it. The BBC reported it. And anyone who's sat in traffic on the inner road at 8am knows it's true.
But pointing out the problem is the easy part. What comes next matters more.
Two local businesses — Ryde and EVie — are already working on the answer, by quietly building the kind of transport alternatives that make choosing not to drive a realistic option for more Islanders.
We're already collaborating in practice.
Ryde uses EVie shared travel to get some of our early-morning team members to the depot before 05:00. It's a small example, but it shows what a joined-up local transport ecosystem actually looks like in real life. Less personal cars. No compromise on reliability. Just two sustainable businesses making something work together.
That's the model we think Jersey needs more of.
The recent BBC piece on car-centric culture across the Channel Islands brought a much-needed conversation into the open. Jersey has more vehicles per square mile than almost anywhere, road casualty rates above the GB average, and a built environment that was shaped around the car long before sustainable transport was a priority.
That doesn't change overnight.
But it does change; if you give people credible alternatives.
As Nick from EVie puts it: "The only way you'll get people out of private cars and reduce congestion is by giving them reliable alternatives. Supporting services like Ryde and EVie can give Islanders a workable, flexible and affordable alternative to vehicle ownership."
We'd add this: not everyone can walk or cycle. Not everyone lives on a bus route. And not every journey justifies the cost, the emissions or the parking stress of a private car. That's the gap that businesses like ours exist to fill — flexible, lower-emission options that are available when you need them, without the overhead of ownership.
Jersey doesn't need to import solutions to this problem. Local businesses are already investing in the technology, infrastructure and customer experience that a less car-dependent island requires. Ryde operates a fully electric fleet, bookable in seconds. EVie puts shared electric cars within reach of everyday journeys. Together, we represent the kind of practical, Island-built transport network that deserves recognition and support.
Jersey's Sustainable Transport Policy talks about shared mobility, reallocating road space and reducing unnecessary car journeys. That's the right direction. What we'd ask is that Government sees the full picture — not just walking, cycling and buses in isolation, but the role that flexible, on-demand services play in making the whole system work for everyone.
The tide is turning. We want to help it turn faster.
