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Eastern Cycle Network

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WQ.539/2019

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE BY DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 10th DECEMBER 2019

Question

Will the Minister –

  1. state his target date for completion of the Eastern Cycle Network;
  2. provide a timeline for subsequent stages to this project; and
  3. state what funds are set aside for this project?

Answer

  1. Without a reliable funding stream it is impossible to set a target date for completion.

The forthcoming Sustainable Transport Policy provides a policy framework to move us forward from the incremental underfunded approach typified by the Eastern Cycle Network.

If adopted by the States Assembly the released sustainable transport funding from the Carbon Emergency Fund, would go some way to addressing this issue and allow work on the next section to be accelerated.

We will only see the sustainable transport improvements we want when we have more money to invest on a recurrent basis, which provides for consistency to be able to employ the necessary resources and permits realisable long-term plans to be developed.

  1. The lack of an established corridor, such as exists from the West, means a different approach is needed for the East, one that optimises existing infrastructure by allocating space to cyclists and pedestrians. The work focuses upon connecting the highest concentrations of households possible with key locations, to cost effectively provide the maximum potential for use and community benefit.

Sections of cycle network / safer routes to school that have been built as follows:

Gorey to Grouville School (States decision funded separately by a rise in parking charges)

Le Hocq to Le Rocquier School

Le Rocquier School to LeSquez

While not strictly eastern a link has also been created from Havre des Pas via La Collette and onwards to the St Aubin's promenade to providing better linkage to support development of the eastern cycle network.

While individual schemes are policy under development and have sensitivities due to land ownership or transport implications for neighbourhoods, the planned phasing of the work is:

Phase 1: Southeast routes

Phase 2: St Saviour's schools

Phase 3: Eastern links to outlying populations

Proposals are also under development for a town network. It should be noted that town network and the phases above are all closely interlinked.

  1. There has not been specific Government budget for the Eastern Cycle Network, rather the 2011 Island Plan provides for "Planning Obligation Agreements" (POAs) to be made;

"8.57  Within the defined corridor Eastern Cycle Route network area applications for new developments, such as housing or employment-related uses will be assessed to determine their potential to contribute towards the further development of the Eastern Cycle Route network: this will apply to residential developments of five or more homes and employment-related uses of 250sqm and above. In appropriate circumstances the sponsors of such applications will be required to contribute directly to the development of the Eastern Cycle Route network through the provision of a section of cycle path, in accord with adopted standards and guidelines, or to enter into an agreement to make an appropriate financial contribution to the development or enhancement of the network".

8.59  The States of Jersey will, in partnership with others, also seek to develop sections of cycle network within the Eastern Cycle Route network area, subject to the availability of funding."[Emphasis added]

As POAs are realised and when enough funding is accumulated a section of the eastern cycleway is taken forward, supplemented by the Department's internal funding for sustainable transport improvements. Due to this irregular funding mechanism and the challenges of acquiring land, the eastern cycle network has necessarily developed incrementally.

The funding currently available through the POA mechanism to support the next phase is £114,224.

It is hoped that funding included in the forthcoming Sustainable Transport Policy will supplement this.

An obvious way to raise this money is through more accurately recognising the social and environmental costs of private vehicles and introducing new economic instruments to transfer money away from invisible subsidies to motorists and into new public infrastructure and improvements.