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2.9 Deputy S. Power of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the behaviour of cyclists:
Hoping to change the mood of the questioning. Is the Minister concerned about bicycle users of all ages who cycle through pedestrian precincts and open areas, against the flow of traffic in one-way streets, ignoring traffic signals? If so, would he undertake to address the issue in conjunction with the States of Jersey Police?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand (The Minister for Home Affairs):
Yes, I am concerned. This is a very irritating feature of modern life. There are also of course public safety issues involved, both to the cyclists and to other people. It is a matter that I will discuss with the Acting Chief Officer of Police. But I am not prepared to go as far as an undertaking in these terms.
- Deputy S. Power:
Would the Minister not also agree with me that some cyclists do not seem to accept or understand that they are in themselves part of normal traffic flow and that they put their lives and the lives of others at risk, particularly when they cycle at some speed in pedestrian precincts?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
Yes, I do agree with that. That was what I meant when I referred to there being public issues; that they are putting both their own lives and other people's lives, particularly if they are going at speed. There are particular difficulties in relation to enforcement matters to do with cyclists because bicycles do not have any registration plates or anything of that nature. So if members of the public seek to make a complaint but do not know the identity of the cyclist there is no way to follow up that complaint.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
Given that difficulty and the fact that probably the only way to stop them is to put a walking stick through the spokes - which is not to be recommended I might add - does the Minister not think that there is a case to bring back cycle registration as it was in days of his and my youth?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
I certainly do not agree that it is a good idea to put walking sticks through the spokes. There has been consideration given as to whether or not it would be a good idea to bring back some form of registration but it is thought that that would be disproportionate to the degree of the existing problem.
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
Is the Minister aware that the problems alluded to in this question and the potential solutions are contained in the Draft Cycling Strategy for St. Helier, the document submitted to the previous Minister for Transport and Technical Services for inclusion in the transport policy and would he like a copy?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
No, I was not aware of that. I was not even aware that this document existed. I would be very grateful for a copy.
- Deputy M. Tadier :
Is the Minister aware that there are areas where cycling is encouraged against the flow of traffic? One can think of New Street where taxis come down one way and there is a cycle lane going up the other way. Would he also acknowledge the fact that in
certain circumstances given the inadequate cycling provisions in certain areas that it
may be more dangerous to encourage bicycles to go on the road than to allow them sensibly to ride in precincts?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
I am aware that there are some areas where allocation of bicycle lanes has been put which I think sometimes goes against the flow. This seems to me to be a somewhat precarious position. At the end of the day it is not my responsibility to decide the zoning of different areas. That is the responsibility I suspect of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services. So the question would be better directed to him.
- The Deputy of St. Mary :
In the context of the need to encourage cycling in order to promote good health and to reduce our carbon emissions, I would just like to ask the Minister whether he is aware that ... and I do not condone by the way in any sense people behaving recklessly or putting other people's enjoyment at risk, but is the Minister aware that shared used - i.e. pedestrians and cyclists sharing the same space - is not only common throughout Europe and the U.K. but also has had research done into it by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory which showed conclusively - and they took video evidence of numerous shared use facilities - that in fact it works perfectly well?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
No, I am not aware of that. I am very grateful to the Deputy of St. Mary for bringing my attention to that.
- Deputy S. Power:
I refer to the Minister's comment in difficulty in identifying certain cyclists who do cause some of the offences that I refer to. I was wondering if the Minister could discuss with the Chief of Police putting an ordinary P.C. (Police Constable) on the beat in St. Helier for about 3 weeks and to knobble some of the worst offenders? Would he not agree with that being a good idea?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
As it has been raised with me, I most certainly will discuss that with the Acting Chief of Police.