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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 21st JANUARY 2014
Question
In relation to the continuing disruption to traffic east of St Helier, could the Minister advise -
- why the problem was not minimised by requesting the Jersey Electricity Company (JEC) to press on with its cable laying works towards Green Road during the low traffic flows of the Christmas period,
- why his Department did not decide to resurface areas other than Longueville Road, given that closure of this road diverts traffic towards Grève d'Azette which is also closed?
- when the Grève d'Azette road is likely to be opened again; and,
- whether any measures are in place to ensure that the JEC trench re-instatement will be of sufficient quality and, if not, why not?
Answer
- Why Transport and Technical Services (TTS) did not require the JEC to undertake Christmas working?
The JEC were not requested to work over the Christmas period as traditionally all contractors, subcontractors and suppliers shut down for a two week period. Even if the JEC's contractors would have been willing to work (which is most unlikely) there would have been no access to materials, for example hot asphalt to reinstate the road.
- Why did TTS continue its planned resurfacing of La Rue a Don?
While major projects of this sort are not normally programmed concurrently in this way, the failure of one of the JEC's two cable links to France has made early commissioning of a new cable critical to the Island and has led to this project being brought forward a year and overlapping with previously planned projects.
The current resurfacing of La Rue a Don between La Rue des Pres Trading Estate and Le Chemin du Radier is part of a significant programme to upgrade the A3 Route' which has taken in the order of two years of advance planning and notifications. When work such as the JEC's is brought forward, the Department can't just delay a project (and go and work somewhere else) without incurring significant re-notification periods and resultant project costs.
Notwithstanding this, the Department has carried out analysis of the potential delay of both projects running concurrently and has implemented all possible mitigations for minimising delay and disruption to road users.
- When will Greve d'Azette reopen?
The road closure will change to traffic signals in mid-March with the full road opening by mid - April.
What quality measures are in place to ensure that the JEC's trench reinstatement will be of sufficient quality?
TTS has pre agreed the reinstatement specification that the JEC must follow and are undertaking periodic inspections of reinstatement works. The JEC have also agreed to fund full lane or road width resurfacing of Greve d'Azette, Havre des Pas and Mount Bingham (as far as South Hill). This resurfacing work will be carried out by TTS following a suitable trench settlement period (approximately 12 months to 2 years) and will ensure that the highway maintenance legacy of the JEC's trench works is kept to a minimum.