This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost. Let us know if you find any major problems.
Text in this format is not official and should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
STATES OF JERSEY
r
GREEN STREET: PROPOSAL TO MAKE ONE-WAY (P.50/2019) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 3rd June 2019 by the Minister for Infrastructure
STATES GREFFE
2019 P.50 Com.
COMMENTS
The Proposition (P.50/2019):
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion –
- to agree that the current temporary arrangement allowing all vehicular traffic to travel in one direction only, south to north, on Green Street from the junction with Havre des Pas to the junction with La Route de Fort, St. Helier should be made permanent;
- to request the Minister for Infrastructure, following consultation with the Parish of St. Helier , to bring forward for approval the necessary amendments to legislation to give effect to the proposal; and
- to request the Minister for Infrastructure, following consultation with the Parish of St. Helier and LibertyBus, to make permanent the current re-routing of the outbound No. 1 bus route via Library Place, Pier Road and Mount Bingham.
The response from the Minister for Infrastructure
The Minister for Infrastructure cannot support the Proposition in its current format for the following reasons.
On 2nd May 2019, the Government agreed that Jersey should aim to be carbon-neutral by 2030; the Government's 2014 Energy Plan identifies road transport as accounting for over one-third of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Research undertaken for the Government's Sustainable Transport Policy, based upon public preference surveys, showed that buses provide the greatest potential for changing Islanders' travel habits and reducing emissions.
In addition, to support the Government's environmental aims, buses also provide an essential social service for the elderly and infirm, young people, low-income households who do not have access to a car, and any other non-drivers.
Making Green Street one-way for all traffic, including buses, would have a significant negative impact on eastern bus services, with only marginal traffic benefits for walking and road safety. Likewise, there would be no benefits to cycling.
Impact on the bus service
An additional walk time of up to 6 minutes, and a potentially reduced service for the 5,000 Havre des Pas bus users each month, up to 50% of which are children or elderly. The reduction in amenity of the bus service proposed creates disadvantages to those with disabilities in an area which has many care homes for those with a range of needs.
Potentially, children travelling east to Le Rocquier School would be required to cross Route du Fort during peak hours to travel to school: this is likely to be of some concern to parents, especially in winter when the mornings are dark.
An additional walk time of up to 6 minutes, and a potentially reduced service for the over 1,200 users per month (predominantly commuters working at the Police Station, Jersey Telecom, State Street, and the like) who board southbound buses at The Limes.
If the Pier Road diversionary route used for the roadworks was used for buses, in addition to the disadvantages listed above, an extra 15 hours of running time could be required by a service such as Route 1 in order to maintain the same frequency, with increased journey times for passengers of 4 to 6 minutes.
The benefits to the small number of people who live on Pier Road, of one service to the east, would be marginal. Routing the bus past Bingham Court is not possible due to the geometry of the road.
To provide a compensatory circular service would cost in the region of £250,000 per annum.
Cycling
Cyclists would need to divert to Roseville Street, which is narrow, heavily parked, and provides a less attractive route.
Walking
Because of the very constrained road width in the central section of Green Street, which is the area of reported concern, it is unlikely that meaningful increases in footpath widths could be achieved.
Vehicle speeds
Historically, prior to the give and take' traffic-calming chicanes being introduced, local residents complained about the speed of traffic in Green Street. With the removal of the opposing flows of traffic, speeds can again be expected to increase.
Measurements taken during the one-way working for the roadworks showed that between 35% – 48% of traffic exceeded the speed limit.
Traffic benefits to residents
While the one-way northbound does not have any network-wide implications, forcing all local traffic to travel northbound will increase traffic, and result in only a marginal overall benefit. It is likely that the total traffic reduction would only be 10%.
Traffic is likely to increase for residents of Roseville Street, which as stated, is also narrow.
Access to shops and residential properties
Access to La Collette Flats, The Cedars and The Limes would all require longer diversions, as they could only be accessed from the south.
Page - 3
P.50/2019 Com.
Passing daytime trade to the shops is likely to reduce, potentially affecting the profitability of those businesses. The traders on Green Street have voiced their opposition in the press, and stated it would be "terrible" for them.
Public consultation
For any traffic scheme to be successful, it is essential that the local community and businesses are properly consulted, so that they might guide the decision on the balance between pedestrians, buses and traffic.
The Minister for Infrastructure offered Deputy R. Labey of St. Helier the chance to collaboratively undertake a considered options appraisal for Green Street, in consultation with the community, so that their concerns might be properly addressed in any scheme supported.
Ministerial recommendation
For the reasons set out above, the Minister for Infrastructure recommends that States Members reject this proposition.
Financial and manpower implications
To ensure the safety of the Public, and to protect the Government from the potential for civil or criminal claims, the Minister for Infrastructure must follow proper process when making changes to traffic and road layouts.
Because of this, manpower and financial resources would need to be diverted from other road safety schemes, resulting in delays to planned and ongoing schemes, potentially affecting Safer Routes to Schools' projects in St. Saviour and St. Brelade , and parish schemes such as those being developed for St. Peter, St. Ouen , Trinity and St. Helier , e.g. First Tower and St. John 's Road.
These projects have been through a proper prioritisation process via the Road Safety Requests Review Panel. To merely accept this Proposition would be to undo the fair prioritisation process which is applied to all our projects.