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3.1 Deputy R.J. Rondel of St. Helier of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the publication of the results of the trial for the new parking charge system at Sand Street car Park:
Would the Minister advise the Assembly whether he proposes to make public the results of the trial for the new parking charge scheme system at Sand Street Car Park and, if so, when will this be available?
Deputy K.C. Lewis of St. Saviour (The Minister for Transport and Technical Services):
The evaluation report is in final draft and will be complete within 6 to 8 weeks. Its primary purpose is as a business support document to inform the procurement strategy for implementing the flexible payment system into as many parking locations as possible. The report's analysis and recommendations focus on systems' costs and procurement options for flexible payment technologies. This data is commercially sensitive; however, I am happy to publish a summary report concentrating, in particular, on the system's performance and public satisfaction levels, which are totally positive.
Deputy R.J. Rondel:
I thank the Minister for that detailed answer. [09.45]
- Deputy T.A. Vallois of St. Saviour :
Could the Minister explain why it is going to take 8 weeks to produce the report and also what areas of it are confidential?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Yes, it is a work in progress, it has been in progress for a while. It will be finalised in between 6 and 8 weeks. It is just that should we purchase a similar or another system this information would be commercially sensitive.
- Deputy S.G. Luce of St. Martin :
This system is obviously proving extremely popular with the general public. Could the Minister advise the Assembly when he plans to install this into our other car parks?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
That will be subject to the report. We are just looking at multi-storey car parks at present and some of our, shall we say, walled or contained car parks, it would not be suitable for on-street parking but that will be subject to the report and evaluation.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier of St. Saviour :
Building on the Deputy of St. Martin 's question, could the Minister confirm that part of the study will be to try and see whether the public are totally confused about the many different parking payment systems his department is currently operating?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I was not aware that we had many systems. We have a pay card or we have the A.N.P.R. (Automatic Number Plate Recognition). Obviously it is very difficult to manage change but once people got used to the A.N.P.R. I think the good people of Jersey took to it.
- Deputy G.C.L. Baudains of St. Clement :
In his opening reply the Minister gave me the impression he is bypassing the trial system and his report will move straight on to possible alternative systems and alternative venues. Would the Minister consider an interim report giving details of the success or otherwise of the trial?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I thought that I had made it clear that nothing had been decided yet, I will await the report. The technology is changing rapidly, so we are trying to keep ahead of the game on that one. I am more than happy to release an interim report as soon as possible.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
Will the department be looking at other systems doing similar work because one is told that if you are close enough to the car in front you can actually get out of the car park without paying? Will he be looking at other more sensitive systems?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
We will indeed be looking at other systems and I would say to the Senator, do not even think it. [Laughter] We have front cameras and rear cameras and they do record the registration.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
A supplementary. Perhaps the Minister would like to do a practical test. I am not speaking for myself [Laughter] but I am speaking for a reputable member of society who was trying to pay for his parking fee but, unfortunately, the machine did not register.
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
There are many factors involved. There could be an obscured number plate but everything is recorded. If there is a system failure it does register in the office nearby. I am delighted that the Senator is keeping to the straight and narrow.
- Deputy J.A. Hilton of St. Helier :
In answer to a written question the Minister reports that over 32,500 vehicles have stayed for longer than 6 hours. He says included in this figure will be cars that parked overnight and on non-chargeable days. My question is that there has been concern expressed about shoppers' car park and the availability of that in St. Helier and I would like to know whether there is any evidence that the fact that commuters are now parking in Sand Street, whether this has impacted on the availability.
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
Yes, we are trying to discourage long-term parking, hence the fees go up exponentially. But that will form part of the report, which I will, of course, make available to Members.
- Connétable P.J. Rondel of St. John :
Given what appears to be the success of the Sand Street Car Park, will the Minister look seriously at putting this in place at somewhere like Pier Road where there are always vacancies? Therefore, we could move some of that commuter/extended parking over into that part of town?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
The Constable of St. John makes a very valid point. We do have spare capacity at Pier Road, sometimes between 250 and 300 spaces per day. That will be something that will form part of the report and we will indeed be looking at Pier Road.
- Connétable J. Gallichan of St. Mary :
Following on from Senator Ferguson's intervention, would the Minister like to comment on the rumour that came to my ears last night that 2-digit number plates cause some confusion with the system?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
I was not aware of that but I would be more than happy to look into it.
- Deputy R.J. Rondel:
Would the Minister just confirm exactly when the report will be available for States Members and the public and what form that report will take? Will it be in the form of a White Paper following that? Also, just quickly, has he been liaising with the Jersey Development Company as to their system they use on the Waterfront Car Park?
Deputy K.C. Lewis :
The system most used on the Waterfront is an excellent system. It is not something that I would particularly favour at the moment, a barrier system, because that would interfere with any commuter parking or people wishing to leave at any particular time. Sorry, I forgot the rest of the question.
Deputy R.J. Rondel:
Exactly when the report will be available and what format it will be in. Deputy K.C. Lewis :
It will just be a summary report in between 6 to 8 weeks' time.