Over 1,000 back Broad Street reopening

Monday 17 August 2020

More than 1,000 islanders are urging the Infrastructure Minister to reopen Broad Street to traffic.

Broad Street was closed in May in response to the pandemic, after queues formed along its narrow pavements, particularly outside the Alliance supermarket, the Post Office and around the bus stop, and to give shoppers an alternative to King Street.

It was also suggested at the time that the move could bring more opportunities for al fresco dining.

But the response to the move has been mixed. 

Aurum said the closure had been positive for the high-end jeweller, describing the ability to talk to customers without background noise or fumes as a “real bonus”.

However, other traders said it had impacted deliveries, hindered town accessibility, and seen cyclists speed dangerously down it.

Pictured: Deputy Kevin Lewis, the Minister for Infrastructure, who signed off on the closure.

Romerils’ Managing Director Steve Jewell said he felt that the pandemic had been used as an excuse to “fast-track what they have wanted to do for years” – something Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis denied.

Amid this debate, an e-petition created by islander Julie Chandlen calling for the street to be reopened to traffic has now hit more than 1,000 signatures, meaning that the Infrastructure Minister will have to officially respond.

On her petition page, she wrote: “The road is not being used as al fresco seating areas for the restaurants located on that road.

"Disabled bays have been moved to Dumaresq Street meaning those with disabilities are having to walk much further to access essential amenities such as the Post Office.

“Access to shops around Charing Cross is hindered by the route of one way roads to get there. Regular parking spaces on Dumaresq Street have been lost to accommodate the replacement disabled parking spaces although they are generally empty anyway due to a combination of being too far for people with disabilities to walk, and too difficult to reach by car.”

Pictured: The petition at the time of writing.

The island’s key business lobby group, the Chamber of Commerce, has thrown its weight behind the cause.

They say that the health advice underpinning the road closure isn’t clear, and that the Health Minister had confirmed in a letter to them that he had not given his view over whether the road should be closed.

Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis told Express however that he had instead been operating on advice from the medical officials leading the island’s response to the pandemic.