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Improvements to Road Safety: second amendment

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STATES OF JERSEY

IMPROVEMENTS TO ROAD SAFETY

(P.5/2021) – SECOND AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 26th February 2021 by Senator S.C. Ferguson

Earliest date for debate: 23rd March 2021

STATES GREFFE

2021  P.5 Amd.(2)

IMPROVEMENTS TO ROAD SAFETY (P.5/2021) – SECOND

AMENDMENT ____________

1  PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (b) –

Before paragraph (b) insert the following new paragraph and re-designate the subsequent paragraphs accordingly –

"(b)  to  request  the  Minister  for  Infrastructure  to  study  the  Direct  Vision Standard, introduced in London in October 2019, and to introduce a similar standard in Jersey in order that pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes are made  more  visible to the  drivers  of  heavy  goods vehicles  and  other commercial vehicles".

SENATOR S.C. FERGUSON

Note:  After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

  1. to request the Minister for Infrastructure to bring forward legislation and appropriate changes to the Island's Highway Code to introduce a hierarchy of responsibility for road users, based on the level of risk presented to road users in the event of a collision.
  2. to  request  the  Minister  for  Infrastructure  to  study  the  Direct  Vision Standard, introduced in London in October 2019, and to introduce a similarstandard in Jersey in order that pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes aremade  more  visible  to  the  drivers  of  heavy  goods  vehicles  and  othercommercial vehicles.
  3. to establish a body to review legislation, infrastructure and good practice guidance in Jersey in order to identify ways of improving road safety, especially  for  vulnerable  road  users,  and  to  report  its  findings  and recommendations to the Minister by the end of 2021.

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P.5/2021 Amd.(2)

REPORT

We were all appalled by the accident which happened to Freddie Dentskevich. What was worse was that if there had been better visibility required for the HGV, such as mirrors and cameras, the accident could have been avoided.

Living in a hot bed of substantial development as I do, as well as frequenting Victoria Avenue, I cannot avoid noticing the appalling visibility from the cabs of many of the HGVs and other commercial vehicles. In fact I have a camera on my scruffy little Polo in self-defence. My particular bêtes noire are the motor bikes and scooters which come up the filter-in-turn in the centre of the two sides of the filter.

Similarly the bikes which are trying to go straight on when the lorry is trying to turn left are a worrying hazard for a driver.

London has conducted considerable research into the improvement of visibility from the cab of an HGV of 12 Tonnes and over. At the same time it would be sensible to consider the visibility from the cab of smaller commercial vehicles in due course.

This timely proposition by the Connétable of St. Martin should make the roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and motorbikes. I would hope that it will encourage all these fellow road users to follow the Highway Code. My amendment is to remind the Minister that there are some good practices in the U.K.

Insurance companies should also be encouraged to make allowances for vehicles which have been fitted with full safety equipment.

No doubt the Connétable s will set an example and the HGV industry will follow suit. Financial and manpower implications

There are no additional financial and manpower implications arising from the adoption of this amendment to the proposition.

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P.5/2021 Amd.(2)