Select a region
A controversial plan to create a one-way system on St John's Road in St Helier has been shelved by the new Infrastructure Minister following months of opposition and delays.
The three-month trial had initially been scheduled to start in summer 2023 - but Constable Andy Jehan has asked transport officers to look at "a different approach" to the scheme, the government has said.
Plans presented last summer were supposed to create a one-way system for cars driving north from Cheapside, diverting cars going south via Parade Road as well as, further north, Tower Road.
The scheme was supposed to be in place for a three-month trial, but it was delayed three times following public pushback and supply and apparent supply and labour issues. Express later learnt that one of the problems was that £5,000 had been spent on ramps that did not meet the legal requirements for Jersey roads.
Following these issues, and a change in Government leadership, it was confirmed today that Constable Jehan "has asked the transport team to review the options, including southbound, and to model potential impacts".
Pictured: An email from a Government official released under the Freedom of Information Law confirmed that the ramps ordered were "not in accordance to the Jersey Law requirements".
This is expected to reflect community concerns and use up-to-date traffic information.
Chartered Transport Planning Professional Rob Hayward, a senior transport planner for Government – distributing leaflets in a private capacity – argued that the proposal would turn Parade Road into an "accident waiting to happen" for children and elderly people in particular, as Fig Tree House care home and Helvetia House School are both located there.
The road is already narrow, and Mr Hayward argued that increased traffic along the road could lead to more accidents.
One of the residents living in the area also told Express at the time that were concerned that, while the Government said the scheme would initially operate as a trial, that it was, in fact, a 'fait accompli'.
Pictured: The one-way system as proposed last summer.
A petition opposing the scheme received more than 1,000 signatures, prompting a ministerial response. Then-Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet said the scheme would help "provide a safer and more liveable urban environment".
Deputy Binet said: "This is only a three-month trial and is necessary to collect factual data on which decisions about future road safety improvements will be based."
The Minister added that he, along with St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft and the St Helier Roads Committee, were committed to the trial as it "would provide an opportunity to improve and widen footpaths and reduce some local traffic".
"The aim is to provide a safer and more liveable urban environment," he said.
The Infrastructure Department had "carefully considered" how the "experimental scheme can be safely implemented", according to Deputy Binet.
"The trial will enable the collection of factual data that will provide for an evidence-based conclusion to be reached about whether the benefits of the scheme outweigh the drawbacks and, therefore, whether it should be made permanent," Deputy Binet said.
Plans to make the lower section of St John's Road one-way were first announced on Monday 26 June. It was at the time scheduled to be in place by the start of autumn term.
Before the end of June, a senior transport planner shared his concerns about the scheme in a leaflet sent to residents, and an e-petition opposing the scheme was launched.
Following the criticism, on Friday 4 August, the trial was postponed to after October half-term.
The scheme did not start after October half-term.
On Wednesday 15 November, Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet responded to the petition, saying the scheme was just a three-month trial and would serve to gather data. The 4 December was cited as a start date.
On Tuesday 28 November, the Government issued an update, complete with maps of the roadworks, saying that the trial would start next Monday 4 December and gave dates for temporary road closures, when the scheme was due to be installed.
Days later, the scheme was postponed again until the start of the new year, with no exact date set. This was said to be due to "unforeseen supply and labour issues".
Today, Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said he would ask officers to review the scheme.
Pictured - top: The previous proposed road layout.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.