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4.8 Deputy S.G. Luce of St. Martin of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the current condition of the Island's roads:
Is the Minister satisfied with the current condition of the Island's roads?
Deputy K.C. Lewis of St. Saviour (The Minister for Transport and Technical Services):
Transport and Technical Services is responsible for approximately one-third of the Island's roads with the Parishes being responsible for the remaining two-thirds. This answer relates to the 267 kilometres or 166 miles of States of Jersey network for which T.T.S. is responsible. The last survey of the States of Jersey network indicated that in 2010, there were 45 kilometres of very high to high priority roads requiring maintenance. My department is working through this priority list with a predicted spend of £3.2 million on resurfacing projects in 2013 and to answer the Deputy 's question, I am not happy with the condition of the roads but my department and I are doing everything possible to maintain the roads to the best of our abilities with the available funding.
- The Deputy of St. Martin :
In response to a written question I posed to the Minister for this sitting, he has given me 2 answers. One is a very big number and one is a very small number. The big number is £3.2 million which is the amount of money he intends to spend this year on road resurfacing but the small number is 4 which is the number of roads which he intends to fully resurface in some sections and another small number is 3 which is the number of roads in which he intends to form some sort of large panels as a smaller scale of resurfacing. Can he not do better and does he regard this as good value for money?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
As I mentioned previously, we are doing what we can with what we have. We are spending approximately £4 million per year on the roads. If we had an additional £3 million, £3.5 million, we could do much more. T.T.S. is in discussions at the moment with our colleagues at Treasury to get additional funding.
- The Connétable of St. John :
Could the Minister give us an indication how many miles of road get resurfaced for £3.2 million? Also will he tell us the last time, and I notice one of the roads is La Route De St. Aubin is to be resurfaced, when that was last done - given I am aware when it was done and how it was re- engineered - and why it needs to be done again? Finally, will he go back to Treasury and ask for additional funding because there is additional funding he can have from Treasury, given we are aware that the Minister could find X number of million if Plémont went through. So therefore will he put another application into the Treasury for some more funds?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I will need to get back to the Constable regarding La Route De St. Aubin but as mentioned previously, T.T.S. are in discussions with Treasury regarding this very thing.
- The Connétable of St. John :
The answer to the first question, how many miles of road are surfaced with £3.2 million?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I will need to get back to the Constable on that.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Could the Minister tell us the roads which, to his department, are the highest priority in terms of needing major repairs?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Yes, I have the schedule for 2014. Rue Des Prés Trading Estate, La Grande Route de St. Jean will be in 2014. In 2015 the ring road portion of St. Saviour 's Road, Gasworks Gyratory, the North Road from Trinity to Gorey including La Rue es Picots, Profonde Rue, La Rue de la Maitrerie, La Rue de la Croix au Maitre, La Grande Route de Faldouet and Le Mont Cambrai. In 2016, La Grande Route de St. Laurent, La Grande Route de la Trinité, La Grande Route de la Côte, a portion, La Rue Du Huquet, Green Street and Le Mont à La Brune.
- Deputy T.A. Vallois:
The Minister stated in his first answer about maintenance. Could he explain exactly what the maintenance is on the roads and the fact that there have been many re-dos over the past 2 years in particular?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Any re-dos are guaranteed, I believe it is up to a year, where the contractor will come back if it proves to be in an unsatisfactory condition.
- Connétable M.P.S. Le Troquer of St. Martin :
Can the Minister tell us how the priority list is compiled? Is there consultation with the Parishes although they are States roads?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I believe the Transport Officers do consult the Parish and the Roads Committees and other interested parties.
- The Deputy of St. Martin :
I was under the impression that in the Medium-Term Financial Plan the monies allocated to T.T.S. for road surfacing were enough to maintain the current state of the Island roads. I would just put to the Minister that the list that he has furnished us with this morning is basically not maintaining the current state of Island roads and there is a storm waiting to happen in a few years when our roads literally start to fall apart.
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Indeed, which is why T.T.S. are talking to Treasury regarding additional funding.
Deputy G.C.L. Baudains:
On a point of order, I did have my light on from the very beginning of that and yet I was never called.
The Bailiff :
Deputy , I can only apologise then. I did not see your light until right at the end and by then I felt that there were sufficient questions and we had to move on.