Traffic calming measures on Rue des Pres in St Saviour

WQ.285/2024

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE

BY DEPUTY R.S. KOVACS OF ST. SAVIOUR

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 16th SEPTEMBER 2024 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2024

Question

"Further to requests for traffic calming measures on Rue des Prés in St Saviour over the last two years, and his meeting with residents in April 2024, will the Minister –

1. provide an update on what progress, if any, is being made on these measures;
2. advise when residents can expect traffic calming measures to be installed;
3. confirm what traffic monitoring, besides that undertaken by the Parish, has been carried out by the Department for Infrastructure in this area in the last 5 years, and the subsequent outcomes of any such monitoring; and
4. advise the estimated cost for implementing on Rue des Prés –

1. speed bumps; and
2. road narrowing (similar to work recently undertaken next to Trinity school)?"

Answer

1. The main entrance to Plat Douet School is on Plat Douet Road. Many of the school travel issues are linked to ad-hoc parking on this road. The section of La Rue des Pres in question has school warning signs in place with flashing lights (wig-wags) which operate during school drop off and pick up times. These warning signs act to indicate the presence of parents and young children. There is a traffic signal controlled pedestrian crossing point, providing safe and direct access to the school grounds from the footway on the southeast side of the road. The road also has good street lighting provision designed to keep the road safe during the hours of darkness. The Department for Infrastructure and Environment ("I&E") have made an assessment of the background issues and road traffic accident data on Rue des Prés and have not identified an established collision problem. While I&E wish to support active travel to schools, no effective regulatory or highway changes have been identified that would further improve the utility of the road, noting that the road and its footways are physically constrained.
2. I&E believe that the narrowness of Rue des Prés, especially from Le Clos de la Molleterie southward is having a suppressing effect on traffic speeds. With regard to the introduction of traffic calming measures, such as speed humps or a raised table crossing, I&E believe that such measures would not reduce traffic speeds from those currently recorded without very adverse profiling and would be at odds with the volume and nature of traffic using the road (including HGVs, etc.). The introduction of a give and take' road narrowing scheme (similar to the Trinity School trial) would be impractical due to higher traffic volumes using Rue des Prés.
3. The two most recent 7-day speed surveys carried out by I&E on Rue des Prés were by the entrance to Milady Farm during November 2023 and by Le Pre de Talbot (near the current pedestrian crossing site) during November 2023. Both surveys show good speed compliance. Analysis of the survey adjacent to Le Pre de Talbot shows that traffic speeds are, on average, no higher than 22mph for most of the traffic (85%), indicating that motorists are driving at appropriate speeds to match the road conditions with a narrow carriageway width and school pedestrians present on the footways. In light of this result, it is assessed that there is no notable benefit in changing the speed limit.

4. Estimated costs:

1. The introduction of speed humps or a raised crossing table would cost in the region of £5000 to £30,000 per item.
2. The introduction of a give and take' road narrowing scheme (such as Trinity School trial) with Zebra crossing would cost up to £250,000.

All schemes must be cost benefit weighed against other schemes. I&E currently have a number of school related projects in pre-feasibility and development stage that require funding.

I&E believes that the implementation of the Canning Court redevelopment (P/2023/0266 ) between the School and Waitrose will create an alternative walking route to the school from the Waitrose car park, reducing demand on Rue des Prés.