St. Clement - pedestrian improvements (P.158-2004) – comments

STATES OF JERSEY

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ST.  CLEMENT: PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS

(P.158/2004) – COMMENTS

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

STATES GREFFE

COMMENTS

Introduction

The Committee supports the principle of pedestrian improvements and would refer members to the Sustainable Island Transport Policy P.60/1999 and the Jersey Island Plan 2002 P.69/2002 which both share and promote the objective of improving pedestrian routes throughout the Island.

The Committee also acknowledges the relatively poor pedestrian facilities on those stretches of highway referred to in the proposition, particularly those on La Grande Route de la Cote and La Grande Route de St.  Clement. It is relevant to note, however, that there have been no accidents involving pedestrian injury on these routes in the last three years.

Before dealing with the detail of the specific proposals outlined in the proposition, it is considered appropriate to examine how the objectives of improving pedestrian routes throughout the Island might be achieved within the context of resource constraints. Clearly, the Environment and Public Services Committee does not presently have, nor is unlikely to have, sufficient funds to adopt a blanket' approach to the provision of footpaths along States main roads throughout the Island.

It, therefore, has to prioritise intervention and the use of limited financial and manpower resources, or it has to impose requirements or enter into agreements with others, to ensure the provision of new public infrastructure, such as footpaths, particularly where the impact of new development makes it reasonable to do so.

The Committee has also made it clear – as it did in a written answer to Deputy Baudains on 23rd September 2003 (see Appendix 1) – that it would consider any proposal from urban parishes for footpath improvements against existing commitments and programmes, but to date no request has been received from the Parish of St. Clement.

Prioritisation Urban renewal

The States charged the then Planning and Environment Committee to develop a Programme of Urban Renewal in 1995 and has, since then, provided cumulative funding of £3.5 million to undertake urban improvements including the provision of play space in urban areas where there are deficiencies, the improvement of urban public spaces, such as at Wests' Centre and La Place de St. Aubin, and also, most significantly, the enhancement of the town streets – by improving the safety for pedestrians and enhancing their use by traders, shoppers and visitors. This benefits the retail, service and tourism sectors of the economy and enhances the quality of life for everyone who uses the town – and not just the businesses and residents of the parish.

One particular measure that can be used to assess the effectiveness and value of these town pedestrian improvement schemes is their affect on the rate of accidents. In this respect, it is useful to look at the example of the junction of The Parade and Union Street. The Transport Research Laboratory Ltd (TRL), a U.K. transport research centre, produces an index of the economic costs of accidents to society and these are estimated (in 1998) as £1.05 million for fatal accidents,£117,000 for serious accidents and £10,000 for minor accidents.

It is interesting to note that between 1995 and 1999, before any change to this junction was introduced, there was an average of 4.4 road accidents a year. Since the traffic management change was introduced as part of the Street Life Programme the average rate of road accidents has fallen to 2.5 accidents a year (accident data derived from the States of Jersey Police). On this basis alone, it is considered that the economic and social value of such changes is evident.

Although the majority of the urban issues facing the Island are most evident in the town area, the funding of projects from the Urban Renewal Programme has never been limited to St. Helier: for example, funding partnerships have previously existed with the Parish of St. Brelade to assist urban improvements in Les Quennevais and St. Aubin. Indeed, in 1999, the Committee made specific approaches to the Parishes of St. Clement and St. Saviour to participate in urban renewal but no interest was shown.

The Urban Renewal fund presently stands, as of November 2004, at £1.1 million and these remaining resources are either committed to ongoing schemes or allocated to planned work within the Urban Renewal Programme.

The Committee would, however, be willing to consider any such proposal from urban parishes against existing commitments and programmes. In doing so, any road safety scheme would need to be considered relative to its contribution to urban regeneration and the Committee would seek to invest the States capital funding through partnership, to achieve the greatest benefit with increasingly limited resources.

It is relevant to note that the Sustainable Island Transport Policy proposed that an Island-wide network of safe routes for walkers be introduced by 2005, subject to funds being made available. Although the States approved the policy in June 1999, funding has not been forthcoming as this has not been prioritised by the States. Likewise, the Safe Routes to School policy, which was also contained within the Sustainable Island Transport Policy, has not been funded apart from the provision of one pilot scheme, at St.  Martin's Primary School, which was supported by the use of some limited funding from the PSd Car Parking Trading Account.

Accident rates

The Urban Renewal Programme has been focussed on St. Helier because that is where there is the greatest need for investment which will yield the most benefit for the Island. There are no recorded pedestrian injury accidents in the area around La Rue De Jambart in the last 3 years. However, areas of the town where pedestrian improvements are taking place, for instance, York Street, 7 pedestrian injury accidents were recorded in the last 3 years; and in New Street, where work is just being completed, there were 13 accidents involving pedestrian injury over that period.

Within the Parish of St.  Clement itself, however, regard needs to be given to the priority for change involving an assessment of where there is the greatest need and where investment would bring the most benefit. An initial comparison of pedestrian injury accident rates indicates that the area around Le Squez is consistently higher than the area east of Le Rocquier. Pedestrian injury accident rates around Le Squez amount to 6 in the last 3 years as opposed to the area east of Le Rocquier where only one accident was recorded in Causie Lane.

Specific improvements

As stated above, the Committee considers that the principle of the proposition is laudable. Regard, however, needs to be had to the achievability of these specific proposals and this is detailed below.

La Rue de Jambart

There is existing footpath provision along 300  metres of the 480  metres of road in La Rue de Jambart, which is, in effect, a local distributor road. The road is narrow and bends in parts of the road where there is no footpath provision and where there are adjacent buildings and structures which constrain the ability to provide new pedestrian facilities.

Works to improve the highway safety of the existing road are to be secured as part of the planning obligation agreement with the developer of land for first-time buyer housing development on Fields 203, 204 and 252. These works – which will take the form of traffic-calming similar to that used at West Hill, St. Helier – are to be provided as part of the development of the adjacent housing site.

Furthermore, the developer will be required to construct a new section of roadway at the northern end of the housing site to provide La Rue de Jambart with a new, safer junction with La Grande Route de St. Clement, thus considerably reducing the risk of further accidents at the blackspot of the existing junction. The provision of a bus shelter, on La Grande Route de St.  Clement, is also required, which will provide an additional facility which will be of value to schoolchildren from this area who take the bus to schools in town or to Le Rocquier.

On the basis of the above, it is not considered appropriate to divert public funds to support the provision of infrastructure here when it will be secured as part of a planning obligation agreement with a private developer.

La Grande Route de la Côte, between La Rue de Jambart and La Rue du Hocq

The possibility of creating a footpath west of Pontac slip has been extensively investigated previously. To achieve this in part would involve the change of use of private gardens on the seaward side of the road, however, these private gardens areas are subject to restrictive covenants which prevent this change of use. To extinguish these covenants would require the agreement of 5 separate land-owners and the legal and compensation costs could be high. If all of these hurdles can be cleared, the small section of pavement could cost in the order of a 6-figure sum.

Beyond Pontac slip (toward Le Hocq), there is a short section of road without footpaths where houses are built right to the road edge on both sides of the road and where widening would be impracticable. Further west, there may be potential to provide a short section of footpath above the seawall around the bend opposite Le Hocq Inn and this may involve land acquisition and would likely affect a stand of Holm oaks.

La Grande Route de St.  Clement, from La Rue de Jambart and La Rue de la Hougette

There is already a pavement which exists on this section of road, however, the narrowest section of St. Clement's Inner Road is opposite the Church where the carriageway width is barely 5.8m (19') and the pavement is 450mm (17") wide: this is a substandard width and represents a potential hazard, however, the carriageway is constrained by structures on both sides which thus poses some challenges in making improvements. There are 2 ways in which an improved footpath could be provided.

1. T r a ffic light controlled single file system

A w  ider footpath could be created by using a single file traffic system, as recently installed outside

St.  Martin's Primary School. However, due to the poor visibility through this section of road, a traffic light system would be required, operating similarly to the portable systems used for road works.

T h e restricted traffic flow would cause traffic delays of up to one minute during peak traffic periods;

however the period of delay could rapidly escalate with any small increase in traffic levels. Also, the ability of this route to be used as a diversion route in the event of road works on other roads in the area would be considerably compromised and there would also be delays to emergency services vehicles.

T h e cost to the community and business, due to consequential delays to traffic caused by this type of

scheme, should not be underestimated.

2. R o a d widening

T h e north side of the road could be re-aligned by taking 2  metres of the St.  Clemen'ts Church cemetery

and neighbouring residential property.

T h is option would undoubtedly have an impact upon the physical fabric and unique character of the area,

if it was deemed acceptable. Construction costs would be in the order of a 6-figure sum.

It i s d ifficult to place a cost on legal and professional fees, as well as design costs and compensation to the

Church, but these could be substantial

Alternative routes

The proposition focuses on making amendments to the existing highway infrastructure which, in all cases, poses particular challenges related to the limited availability of space. There may, however, be merit in seeking to use other parts of the road network, such as La Rue de Prince and La Rue de la Hougette (which are both Green Lanes), perhaps in combination with parish-owned land (such as that part of the line of the former railway between the Parish Hall and Le Rocquier School), to explore the possibility of making safer pedestrian links on less-trafficked roads where schoolchildren and others might be able to walk and cycle in greater safety.

Conclusion

The suggestion to carry out pedestrian improvements to routes in St. Clement is commendable, however, unless a prioritised pedestrian route strategy is developed, there is the clear risk that whatever scarce resources are available could be wrongly targeted. If and when resources become available to develop a pedestrian route strategy, then appropriate routes in St. Clement and other parishes can be identified, prioritised and progressed accordingly, either through a partnership with Urban Renewal or more likely through the use of planning obligations.

Finally, the Committee would challenge the suggestion that the proposals outlined in the proposition would have no financial or manpower implications to the States. The Public Services Traffic and Infrastructure Unit and the Urban Renewal fund are fully committed on current and proposed projects and any diversion would undoubtedly result in both financial and manpower implications to the States. The Proposals identified in the Proposition are also likely to have significant implications in both financial and manpower terms to explore and resolve associated legal issues.

APPENDIX 1

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2003, BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT

Question 1

Would the President inform members –

(a ) w h ether the Committee has a policy relating to the provision of pavements along main roads where

none currently exist, and, if so, what this policy is?

(b ) w h ether the Urban Renewal fund could be drawn on by the Parish of St.  Clement, and not just by

the Parish of St.  Helier as has been the case in more recent years, for such matters as improved road safety, given the increasing urbanisation in St.  Clement? If so, would the President state what process is required to access those funds?

Answer

1. B o ththe Sustainable Island Transport Policy andthe Jersey Island Plan 2002 sharethe objective of improving pedestrian routesthroughout the Island. MyCommitteerequires developments on main routes to provide a roadsidefootpathwherenone currently exists, through the use of planning obligations where this is appropriate. There are also a numberof ongoing minorschemes,to acquire land andconstruct roadside footpaths.However there are currently noplans to establish footpaths onevery main route, as my Committee does not have the substantial resources required todoso.
2. A l thoughthe majority of the urban issues facing the Island are most evident in the townarea, the funding of projects from theUrbanRenewalProgrammehasnever been limited to St.  Helier, for examplefunds have previouslybeen allocated forimprovementsat Les Quennevais and StAubin.

T h e m ain priority of the Urban Renewal Programme is to invest in the public realm of the town centre to

enhance the safety, ease of use, vitality and viability of St.  Helier. This benefits the retail, service and tourism sectors of the economy, in reducing pedestrian accidents and in enhancing the quality of life for all Island residents who use town.

T h e E nvironment and Public Services Committee seeks to secure added value and has sought to invest the

States capital funding through partnership. This approach will achieve greatest benefit with increasingly limited resources. Any road safety scheme would need to be considered relative to its contribution to urban regeneration. The Committee would consider any such proposal from urban parishes against existing commitments and programmes.

W  h er e new developments generate the requirement for associated elements of public infrastructure, such

as pavements and footpaths, my Committee will seek to secure these as an integral part of the development, for example Field No. 378/379 Deloraine Road. This may be achieved through the use of planning obligations, where this is appropriate.

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

Submitted in support of the comments of the Environment and Public Services Committee in respect of proposition P.158/2004 from Deputy G.C.L. Baudains of St.  Clement

Introduction

The conclusion to the report of proposition P.158/2004 asserts that the provision of footpaths along La Grande Route de St.  Clement (St.  Clemen'ts Inner Road) and La Grande Route de la Côte (St.  Clement's Coast Road) are cost-neutral to the States of Jersey. While cost-neutral improvement is to be achieved in La Rue de Jambart, as a result of planning obligations related to the proposed development of houses on Fields 203, 204 and 252 to the east of Jambart Lane, these notes are intended to provide members with additional detail about the potential implications in providing such facilities on these particular routes.

La Rue de Jambart

The development adjacent to Jambart Lane will be subject to a number of planning obligations. This includes the requirement for a new road from half way along Jambart Lane to a point on St.  Clement's Inner Rd, 130  m. east of the current junction, as well as the provision of a bus shelter.

The section of Jambart Lane north of the new junction on to the development will be one way south-bound, and the remaining section will be subject to traffic-calming and footpaths, in a similar style to that provided at West Hill.

The new road will have 2 benefits: it will provide the space to provide a bus shelter amenity and it will address an accident problem at the existing Jambart Lane/Inner Road junction. The traffic-calming in La Rue de Jambart will be of benefit to existing residents of the area and prospective residents of the new development.

La Grande Route de St.  Clement (adjacent to St.  Clemen'ts Churchyard)

The narrowest section of the road in question is at a point 60m west of the junction of St.  Clement's Inner Road and La Rue de Jambart. Here the carriageway width is barely 5.8  m. Not surprisingly, this is also the narrowest point of the existing footpath/pavement, at about 450  mm. There is, therefore, no scope to provide an improved footpath within the existing highway boundaries, whilst maintaining the correct lane widths for two-way traffic. Two ways in which an improved footpath could be provided, as requested by Deputy Baudains, have been considered for this section of road.

S in g l e lane traffic through narrowest section of highway

T h e s pace required for a wider footpath could be provided by installing a single-file traffic system, as has

been installed recently outside St.  Martin's Primary School. However, due to the limited visibility through this section of road, a traffic light system would be required, much like the portable systems used for road works.

D e l a ys to traffic due to the restricted traffic flow would be of the order 40 to 50  seconds per car, during

peak flow periods. However, this delay figure would rapidly escalate with any further small increases in traffic levels. The ability of this road to be used as a diversion route, in the event of road works on other roads in the area, would be considerably compromised. There would also be delays to emergency services vehicles.

Plate 1: View from junction of Jambart Lane and Inner Road looking west.

T h e e stablishment of such a scheme would reduce capacity by an amount substantially greater than that at

St.  Martin's, due to the constraints of the site.

T h e o verall traffic flows at St.  Martin are c.2,550 per weekday 24-hour period in both directions, and are

c.3,500 per weekday 24-hour period in both directions, outside St.  Clement's Church.

T h e p hilosophy of the St.  Martin's scheme was to not only provide footpaths, but to address the specific

issues of safety and general health to the children attending St.  Martin's Primary School. The existing road widths at St.  Martin were wider than at St. Clement, with only one short section of on-eway working required to provide sufficient width for a footpath. The 2 other "give way build-outs" were constructed to slow traffic down at the points where children cross the road.

C o n s truction costs only for a scheme, such as this, outside St.  Clement's Parish Church would be well in

excess of £50,000. However, there would also be ongoing maintenance and running costs. The cost to the community and business, due to consequential delays to traffic caused by the scheme required for this location, should not be underestimated.

I t i s  considered  that  the  provision  of  a  wider  footpath  does  not  warrant  such  a  serious  permanent

impediment to traffic flows on a principal route.

R o a d Realignment

Plate 2: View of narrow section of Inner Road looking east.

T h e north side of the road could be re-aligned by taking 1.5 to 2  m. of the churchyard/cemetery, and

neighbouring  property,  (required  to  ensure  correct  road  alignment).  Alternatively  the  south  section footpath could be widened by up to 1  m. by moving houses, and boundary walls. Both these options would likely meet with serious opposition, and take substantial resources to negotiate the land transfers required, before construction work could start. Indeed the moving of houses would be impracticable, as well as prohibitively expensive. The former option is therefore considered the more feasible of the two.

T h e c ost of construction work would be considerable, indeed, in the order of many hundreds of thousands

of pounds. It is difficult to place a cost on legal and professional fees, as well as design costs and compensation to owners. It is not inconceivable for these costs also to be many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

La Grande Route de la Côte, from La Rue de Jambart to Le Hocq Inn

Sections of this road already benefit from footpaths provided under schemes carried out by previous Public Services Committees. Unfortunately, the provision of footpaths on those sections of road without them present specific challenges, which represent the reasons why footpath provision has not previously been achieved. This report highlights the specific issues relating to the east, centre and west sections of this road in turn.

Plate 3: View of section of road from Pontac Slipway west for c.120  m.

E a s t End

B e f o re a footpath could be constructed on the section of road for 120  m. from Pontac slip towards Le

Hocq, land to the south would need to be acquired by the Public of Jersey. An existing covenant on this land, restricting construction, would require modifying or cancelling.

T h e r e are 5 different owners, as well as the possibility of other third parties, who have an interest in the

land required for this short section of footpath. Each section of land in front of the properties on the south side of the coast road is generally owned by those properties on the north. Each of the owners would have to be negotiated with to transfer ownership, and each of the properties in turn would have to have the restrictive covenants modified. It is believed that all transactions would have to be simultaneous.

D i sc u ssions have been held with the landowners and an attempt made to progress such a scheme. However

in 2001, for the reasons given above, it was concluded by the Property Services Department, following advice from the Law Officers Department, that the only means, by which the matter could be concluded, was by the use of compulsory purchase powers.

T h e v alue of court, legal, professional and compensation costs, before construction could start, would be

considerable.

O n c e all these hurdles had been cleared the provision of a footpath, on the small section shown in the

above photograph, would probably cost of the order of 6  figures, assuming the granite walls were to be re-built as part of the scheme.

C e n t ral Section

Plate 4: View of existing carriageway halfway between Pontac Slipway and Le Hocq.

D u e to the existing carriageway width and current horizontal alignment of the road, there is insufficient

room to provide a footpath alongside the existing carriageway, without demolishing houses, and re- building those houses to a revised alignment.

S in g l e lane traffic could again be considered using traffic lights due to limited visibility, but traffic levels

are of the order twice that of the Inner Road. Delays of 4½ minutes, with a queue length of 45  cars could be expected at peak times.

I t i s  considered  that  the  provision  of  a  wider  footpath  does  not  warrant  such  a  serious  permanent

impediment to traffic flows on a principal route.

W  es t End

Plate 5: Western extremity of coast road route.

T o p rovide a footpath at the western end, major engineering works would be required to the sea defence

wall. The effect of these alterations on wave action and tides would have to be assessed and a design developed to address any effects identified.

A n u mber of mature trees would possibly require removal, which would change the character of the area.

Ownership issues would have to be addressed.

D u e to any engineering analysis of the sea wall and effects there on of the footpath being beyond this

report, it is not possible to put a cost to this element of the work.

Off-road routes

Footpaths in the area could be provided by selecting cross country routes. However, this again would raise issues of transfer of land ownership, and objections from owners of properties bordering the footpath. The security of persons using cross country footpaths at night, would also have to be addressed, with as a minimum the provision of street lighting.

Providing street lighting would be a possible nuisance to neighbours, as well as potential users. There would likely be objections raised by neighbouring residents and landowners to walkers passing close to previously private gardens, and the glare of street lights.

The  selection  of  such  possible  routes  is  beyond  the  scope  of  this  report,  however  whatever  options  were eventually pursued, there would be significant cost implications.

Conclusion

It is considered that the cost implications for the "shopping list" of footpaths requested in proposition if all costs such as lawyers' fees, Royal Court costs, professional engineering fees, Property Services costs, and Civil Service costs, would be in excess of £1  million.