States members' car parking

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1240/5(9249)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE BY DEPUTY M. TADIER OF ST. BRELADE

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2016

Question

Can the Chairman advise –

1. how many States members' car parking spaces have been removed from Snow Hill and whether any consideration has been given to compensating for those spaces elsewhere, and if not, why not;
2. whether consideration has been given to harmonising the overflow' provisions for States members' parking, given that, if all spaces are taken at Pier Road, permit holders are permitted to park on any floor except the lower ground floor, whereas, at Sand Street, in the event that all the spaces are taken, members either have to park upstairs and pay for parking or drive to Pier Road; and
3. whether PPC supports the continued provision of States members' parking and if so, why, and if not, why not?

Answer

1. On 22nd May 2014 the States adopted P.43/2014 and agreed –

"to request the Minister for Transport and Technical Services to take the necessary steps to cease the provision of free car parking for States Members, Jurats and Law Officers at Snow Hill car park with immediate effect so that, upon completion of the Transport and Technical Services North of St. Helier Flood alleviation scheme in the car park, the 11 spaces currently reserved for States Members, Jurats and Law Officers can be amalgamated with the 84 public spaces currently provided at Snow Hill subject to the continued provision of adequate parking for Jurats at an alternative location as required". (The full proposition is appended for reference.)

The Infrastructure Department have advised that, when the spaces at Snow Hill were lost, 8 additional spaces were provided at Pier Road in order to compensate.

2. This is not a matter for which PPC has any responsibility. However we have been advised by the Minister for Infrastructure that he has not been approached to discuss whether the overflow provision at Sand Street car park should be amended in order to allow members to park on any floor of the car park. At present there is ample space available for States members at Pier Road and the remaining floors of Sand Street car park currently provide centrally situated shopper parking for the public, which is of considerable value to St. Helier's economy.
3. A decision of the States in 2004 entitled members to free parking with the allocation to be determined by the Environment and Public Services Committee, now the Department for Infrastructure (P.199/2004 refers). As the current arrangements seem to be working satisfactorily, PPC does not see any merit in proposing changes.

STATES OF JERSEY

SNOW HILL CAR PARK: PARKING FOR STATES MEMBERS, JURATS AND LAW OFFICERS

Lodged au Greffe on 1st April 2014 by Deputy E.J. Noel of St. Lawrence

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to request the Minister for Transport and Technical Services to take the necessary steps to cease the provision of free car parking for States Members, Jurats and Law Officers at Snow Hill car park with immediate effect so that, upon completion of the Transport and Technical Services North of St. Helier Flood alleviation scheme in the car park, the 11 spaces currently reserved for States Members, Jurats and Law Officers can be amalgamated with the 84 public spaces currently provided at Snow Hill subject to the continued provision of adequate parking for Jurats at an alternative location as required.

DEPUTY E.J. NOEL OF ST. LAWRENCE

REPORT

States Members, Jurats and Law Officers free car parking provision at Snow Hill was temporary taken away to allow Transport and Technical Services (TTS) to carry out works on the connection of the cavern and the shaft to Anne Court in the beginning of July 2013.

These works have been underway now for 9 months and are due to be completed in September of this year.

During this time States Members, Jurats and Law Officers have had access to alternative free parking provision provided at Pier Road multi-storey car park. The Jurats have 9 permanently reserved spaces for their use on Vine Street, prior to the works a further 3 permanently reserved spaces were available at Snow Hill. During construction period TTS has made special provision for additional Jurat parking when the Court requires a full sitting of Jurats, temporarily reserving additional spaces as and when required. The Jurats give greatly of their time at no cost to the public and it is important that they continue to be provided with appropriate and adequate car parking as and when needed.

Pier Road car park has ample space to accommodate the relocation on a permanent basis. Some 250 spaces per weekday are currently available at Pier Road.

In my opinion, these temporary measures have had little or no significant adverse effects on States Members, Jurats and Law Officers. On the occasion when a full sitting of Jurats is required, the present arrangements, whereby TTS temporarily reserve spaces as required, could continue.

I am proposing, on completion of the works being carried out by TTS at Snow Hill, that the 11 spaces formerly utilised free of charge at Snow Hill by States Members, Jurats and the Law Offices should be combined with the 84 public parking spaces to increase the number of spaces available for shoppers in St. Helier by some 13% (from 84 to 95).

These spaces are at the most northern end of the Snow Hill car park and as such are the most "valuable" to shoppers.

We have been asked on a number of occasions to increase shopper parking in this area of St. Helier and this proposition allows us the opportunity to deliver at no additional cost 11 additional spaces in Snow Hill car park.

Indeed during the Police Headquarters debate the need for additional shopper parking in this area of St. Helier was referred to by a number of States Members. This proposition is simply asking Members to put Islanders interest before our own.

I hope that Members will support this proposition. Financial and manpower implications

There are no manpower implications and based on information provided to me by the TTS officers, this change will result in approximately £13,318 per annum of additional income for the car park reserve fund.