Islanders across Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man swapped car keys for walking shoes, bike helmets, and bus stops last month as Better Journeys Week returned with a focus on connection.
Better Journeys Week is an annual initiative organised by the Better Journeys Project and sponsored by Mourant. It aims to raise awareness of the benefits of active and sustainable travel, including improved health, lower emissions and reduced traffic congestion.
This year’s theme, ‘Don’t just commute: CONNECT!’ encouraged islanders to see their daily journeys as more than a standard commute. Instead, participants were invited to connect with their surroundings, their community and themselves by making small, realistic changes to how they travel.
In Guernsey, the Better Journeys Project has been tracking commute data since 2022, recording more than 150,000 journeys. Since then, active travel has increased by 17%.
During Better Journeys Week 2026, more than one in five recorded journeys in Guernsey were made on foot or by bike, at its peak. On Thursday, 24.7% of all traffic was active travel, and on Tuesday, it accounted for 20.5%.
Rollo de Sausmarez and Kate Huntington, Committee Members, Better Journeys, said: ‘”t’s been brilliant to see so many people across the islands taking part in Better Journeys Week.
“This year’s theme focused on connection, and that clearly resonated with islanders. A better journey is not only about reducing emissions or easing traffic, although both are important. It’s also about taking a moment to notice what’s around you, feeling more connected to where you live and arriving at work feeling a little better than when you left home.
“We know it’s not always possible to leave the car behind. However, choosing a more sustainable option once or twice a week can still have a meaningful impact. Better Journeys Week is about showing that small, realistic choices can add up when more people feel able to make them.”
Jen Watson, Head of Responsible Business at Mourant, said: “We are proud to support Better Journeys Week. The campaign is a great reminder that sustainable travel is not about perfection, it’s about making better choices where we can. It was great to see so many of our colleagues in Guernsey and Jersey get involved this year in ways that worked for them – whether that meant doing the school run on foot, swapping the car for a bike, or choosing public transport for their commute.”
Pictured: Jersey Committee member, Kate Huntington
