Speed Limits - revised policy (P.1-2004) – amendment (P.1-2004Amd.) comments

STATES OF JERSEY

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SPEED LIMITS: REVISED POLICY (P.1/2004) – AMENDMENT (P.1/2004 AMD.) – COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 23rd November 2004 by the Environment and Public Services Committee

STATES GREFFE

COMMENTS

It is relevant to note that the Connétable of St. Helier was Chairman of the working group that devised the proposed policy. The other members of the group consisted of the Connétable of St. Brelade (Home Affairs Committee member), the then Connétable of St. Lawrence Henry Coutanche, Deputy Bridge (Home Affairs Committee member) Philip Blake (Road Safety Officer), Inspector Nigel Truscott (States Police), and David St. George (Senior Traffic Engineer from Public Services). The group held several meetings including site visits all attended by the Chairman, before finalising its proposals. A public consultation exercise identified a substantial majority of support. The St. Helier Roads Committee was the only body of note that declined to support the proposed policy.

The Connétable 's amendment in summary has four parts –

1. T o addtothose categories of road whichcould be subject to20 m.p.h.speed limits the following – "areas such asmay be agreed following consultation between individual ParishesandtheCommittee".
2. T o include in the policy that no speedlimitshallapply to public road racing events.
3. T o instruct the Home Affairs Committee to investigate improvedmeansofspeedlimitenforcement.
4. T o instruct the Environment and PublicServices Committee to carryout a review ofGreen Lanes. Part 1

The Committee's Proposition currently proposes a change to the Law so that speed limits cannot be changed without consulting the relevant Connétable . Where a speed limit should be raised to conform to the policy, this would only be done with approval of a Parish Assembly.

The policy identifies the appropriate speed limit for various categories of roads and areas. To add that other areas could be subject to a 20 m.p.h. limit, without reference to those categories, would defeat a principle aim of the policy – to achieve a more consistent approach.

The Committee does not seek to exclude the Parishes from the decision-making process, as evidenced by the proposal to have a legal requirement to consult the Connétable , but it believes the requirement to define the parameters by which speed limits will be determined as crucial to achieve consistency, and cannot therefore support this part of the amendment, as it fails to do so.

Part 2

Races are held on public roads under the Motor Vehicle Races (Jersey) Law 1946, which states that speed limits do not apply to vehicles or drivers engaged in the race. The Connétable 's amendment is considered unnecessary, and not relevant to the speed limits policy.

Part 3

The Committee's report mentions that enforcement is key to effective speed limits and concludes that the Home Affairs Committee should progress the issue. The Connétable 's amendment would instruct the Home Affairs to do so and to report to the States by July 2005. This would not conflict with the Committee's Report and Proposition and is supported.

Part 4

Green Lanes, from their conception, have always been considered to be the preserve of the Connétable s, although it subsequently transpired that the only means of enforcement for them was to be by speed limits, set by the Committee. The report concludes that the Comité des Connétable s should initiate a review of Green Lanes, and the Comité has confirmed that it will do so. The Connétable has proposed in his amendment that the review is carried out by the Environment and Public Services Committee. Whilst it is right that the Committee have an input into the review, it should be led by, and brought back to the States by, the Comité des Connétable s.

The Environment and Public Services Committee cannot support the Connétable of St. Helier's amendment, except for Part 3.