Allocation of dedicated public parking spaces for the new police station

2016.01.19

5.13   Deputy L.M.C. Doublet of the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the allocation of dedicated public parking spaces for the new police station:

Has any progress been made on the allocation of dedicated public parking spaces for the new police station?

Deputy E.J. Noel of St. Lawrence (The Minister for Infrastructure):

The planning permit for the development of the new police headquarters does not require the provision of dedicated public parking spaces. It does, however, require the development of 18 new public motorcycle spaces in the Snow Hill Car Park, which are currently being formed, and a further 37 motorcycle spaces obviously at the police headquarters on Route du Fort, creating 55 new additional spaces in total. This also requires, under the planning permit, 10 new bicycle spaces at the cemetery entrance of Green Street Car Park and a further 52 bicycle spaces on Route du Fort, again to create 62 new additional spaces. The permit also requires the development of 53 public parking spaces in Green Street Car Park. In fact, we delivered 64 new spaces in July of last year, available on level 3. Notwithstanding the lack of requirement for visitor parking under the permit, it was proposed to allocate 3 dedicated spaces for visitors to the States of Jersey Police Station in Snow Hill Car Park. The use of Green Street Car Park is also being considered for visitor parking. However, this is not a straightforward exercise due to the operational constraints relating to how the barrier system needs to work to safely manage the access of this popular commuter car park. In response to the Scrutiny Panel's report, S.R. 19/2012, a further review of visitor parking arrangements is being undertaken by Jersey Car Parks and is due to be completed by the end of March this year. On completion of that report, of the options available, a final decision can then be made way ahead of the police station becoming operational.

1. Deputy L.M.C. Doublet :

I just wanted to clarify: so there is no requirement under the planning conditions to provide the spaces. Is there a will from the Ministers and a feeling that the public needs this space? Is there a will to provide them?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

As I have already mentioned, we are looking at providing 3 spaces dedicated to the visitors to the police station at Snow Hill. There are a further 2 disabled spaces that will be allocated at the entrance of the police headquarters for those with disabilities and we are looking, as requested by the Scrutiny Panel, at other alternatives. Just to bear in mind at the existing police headquarters, there are a total of 5 spaces available to the public. However, in the Rouge Bouillon facility area, there are no other off-street public car parking spaces available, which is completely different to the new location adjacent to not only Green Street Car Park but Snow Hill Car Park and the Route du Fort Car Park.

2. Deputy J.A. Martin:

The Minister says there may be a will to provide public parking at the new police station. Is it not where the police station is sited, that is impossible? But also in his answer he said now there will be 2 dedicated disabled parking spaces. Has that changed from the original arrangement where this is an unloading bay and those with a disability will have to phone the headquarters to allocate this space for their time at a certain time and date?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

No, the provision has not changed at all since this was brought to the Assembly in the latter part of 2012, early part of 2013. The provisions regarding disabled visitors to the police station have not changed at all.

3. Deputy J.A. Martin:

He clearly said: "We will be providing 2 disabled parking spaces outside the police station." Now, which is this, by arrangement or are they dedicated disabled parking spaces?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

Those 2 spaces were in the original plans and how they are going to be operated is a matter for the police to consider prior to the station opening. I envisage that they will be available for disabled people as and when they arrive at the station.

4. The Connétable of St. Helier :

I am sure motorcyclists will welcome the fact that there are going to be new motorcycle spaces in Snow Hill Car Park. Could the Minister tell us how these motorcyclists are to get safely to the new police station once they have parked their machines? Is the proposal to have a Jersey crossing across the roundabout being progressed?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

Not necessarily a Jersey crossing, because they are not necessarily the safest of crossings. They are better than none at all, but as the Constable knows, that is one of the matters that is being looked at to improve the crossing facilities in that area of St. Helier .

5. Deputy P.D. McLinton:

Anybody who has had the misfortune to have to visit the current police station at Rouge Bouillon and knows that the 5 spaces are completely inadequate and that the Savoy Hotel across the road has to bear the brunt of people who have to park just to go into the police station. Would the Minister not consider it a lunacy to have not provided public parking spaces at the new police station and the very fact that 2 wheels seem to be catered for, but 4 not? Would the Minister give consideration to maybe looking more deeply at more parking spaces being provided for the police station somewhere?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

Deputy McLinton comes up with a very good point there, which has been addressed in the past and we will continue to do so. The current police station has no public off-street parking in its facility, apart from those 5 spaces directly outside of the entrance. The new police headquarters does have substantial public parking in the facility. The provision for additional 2-wheeled travellers is to accommodate the actual police officers themselves, and most of these are on the south side of the Route du Fort and thereby making sure and encouraging them that they do not bring their own cars into the facility and park in the public spaces in that area.

6. Connétable C.H. Taylor of St. John :

Would the Minister tell me how many spaces are available for the Honorary Police, and in particular Centeniers, who regularly have to attend on business?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

The Honorary Police or any official visitor to the police headquarters will be parking in the basement of the police headquarters, as we have designed.

[12:30]

It will come as no surprise to Members that for the 42 vehicles in the fleet of the police that will be using this building, the majority or those, or a significant number of those, will be out on patrol and on the road and therefore there will always be spaces available for the Honorary Police and other official visitors in the underground car park of the police headquarters itself.

7. Deputy L.M.C. Doublet :

I thank the Minister for his answers. I understand that the Minister will be looking at providing 3 spaces some distance away in Snow Hill and it remains to be seen whether this will be achieved. In making this decision, does the Minister have all the facts at hand with regards to the availability of spaces in the nearby car parks? Because I am feeling that there is some assumption there that there is availability, whereas my understanding is it is very difficult to get into those car parks, so if you do happen to be a victim of crime who is driving a car, not a motorbike or bicycle, will there be spaces available? Will the Minister be doing any studies to look at availability of spaces nearby?

Deputy E.J. Noel:

The Deputy would be surprised if I did not know the availability of spaces, given that my department looks after the States car parks. At any one time of day, there are normally 20 free spaces in the car park along the Route du Fort and this is some 2 minutes' walk away from the police headquarters. Before 9.00 a.m. in the morning and after 1.00 p.m. in the afternoon, there are always spaces in Green Street Car Park itself. I ran the gauntlet of many States Members a little while ago when I increased the public spaces by 11 by removing States Members' parking from Snow Hill, so we have created additional capacity in the area. Certainly outside of the hours before 9.00 a.m. and after 1.00 p.m. in the afternoon, there is more than ample space in Green Street itself, as I have said, but there is also, a mere 2 minutes' walk away, 20 spaces every day available at Route du Fort.