Senior transport planner pushes back on Gov’s one-way proposal

Thursday 29 June 2023

One of the Government’s own senior transport planners is fighting a proposal to make a St. Helier road one-way – arguing that it will cause more safety issues by turning a quiet residential area into a “major artery”.

Announced by Government earlier this week, the scheme to only allow traffic on the lower section of St. John’s Road to flow in one direction will firstly operate as a three-month trial starting in August.

Under the scheme, traffic going into town will be diverted along Westmount Road and Parade Road.

While Government said the plans aimed to make the area safer, one of their own transport planners of many years has since hit back against the proposal, saying it will not have the desired effect.

In a leaflet created in a private capacity and distributed to residents in the area, Chartered Transport Planning Professional Rob Hayward argues that the proposal will turn Parade Road – where he lives – into an "accident waiting to happen" for children and elderly people in particular, as Fig Tree House care home and Helvetia House School are located there.

The road is already narrow, and Mr Hayward argues that increased traffic along the road could lead to more accidents. 

Mr Hayward also claims that the Parade Road diversion plan could see residents lose their on-street parking and suffer increased noise.

Pictured: St. John's Road will use a one-way system starting in August.

One of the residents living in the area also told Express they were concerned that, while the Government said the scheme will initially operate as a trial, that it was, in fact, a fait accompli. They said they were unhappy with the level of consultation, with leaflets only dropped through doors on Monday, explaining that there would be an exhibition later that week (today, Thursday 29 June) at the Town Hall at 17:30 – straight after working hours – for just one hour.

However, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, who represents parishioners living in the area, was more positive about the scheme.

Deputy Feltham, who worked on the proposals alongside Deputy Inna Gardiner, said that diverting traffic would make St. John's Road safer for pedestrians, and that the trial was an opportunity to find out how this change would change traffic patterns.

Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet said: "This is an opportunity for us to gauge the impact of this change, which is something that’s been discussed for many years. The section of road near Cheapside is very narrow, as are the current pavements.

"We hope that changes in layout at the Tower Road junction should mean that those coming from the top of the hill will reroute via Tower Road and Westmount. We anticipate that traffic patterns on Parade Road will also change.

"We’ve written to people living in the area to let them know our plans. Following the completion of the trial, we’ll consider the community benefits of a permanent scheme and the impact on traffic in the area."

St. Helier's Constable, Simon Crowcroft, added: "The St. Helier Roads Committee has been working with the Government to find ways of making the lower part of St. John’s Road safer for residents, pedestrians and those who drive along this narrow section of main road.

"Traffic levels will be monitored before and during the trial so that we can assess impacts on the surrounding roads in this part of town. I encourage residents and interested Islanders to come to the exhibition at the Town Hall to find out more about the trial."

After a three-month trial, the scheme will be reviewed until March next year, and a decision on whether to implement the scheme permanently is expected to be made between February and March 2024.

An exhibition presenting the scheme is scheduled to be held at the Town Hall today from 17:30 to 18:30.