The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
WQ.4/2021
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
BY DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 18th JANUARY 2021 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 25th JANUARY 2021
Question
Will the Minister advise –
- whether any road and / or safety improvement programmes around the Island's schools are currently outstanding in terms of delivery; and, if so, which ones are outstanding and what is the proposed time span for completion of any such works; and
- whether any other safety improvements linked to schools are currently awaited and, if so, provide details of when these improvements will be implemented?
Answer
Part A – Works in hand
In November 2020, the Minister for Infrastructure published an Active Travel Update. This document provides information on the wide range of projects and schemes that have commenced or will be delivered in the near future. Actions are identified on improvements in cycling infrastructure; education, training and promotion; digital mobility; and policy initiatives. The relevant programmes of work are provided below and many of these includes elements of safety initiatives:
Initiative | Status |
|
Bikability Training | Delivery of Bikeability and Ready Set Ride to primary school children teaching them how to ride a bicycle safely and giving them practical skills for today's roads | Ongoing |
Cycling Officers | Recruitment of new staff to deliver Bikeability in schools, training courses for adults and disability cycle sessions to develop cycling skills and increase confidence to ride on roads. | 2021 – 2022 |
School Travel Planning Initiaitves | Ongoing work with schools to respond to requests for cycling infrastructure and to promote active travel. | 2021 – 2022 Travel restrictions permitting for specialist resource |
Let's look out for each other | Campaign to encourage more responsible use of public spaces and promote safety. | 2021 – Police resource permitting |
Don Road / George Town Road Eastern Cycle Lane (ECN) | Undertake a feasibility study for a pilot cycle lane as part of the Eastern Cycle Network. This provides access to the St Saviours Schools | 2021 - 2022 |
FB Fields (ECN) | Community consultation being prepared ahead of developing a planning application. This link would potentially complete the cycle route from St Clement's Parish Hall to George Town. This provides the link to the Le Rocquier School cluster | 2022 – Covenant issues permitting |
Midvale Road | Proposals for enhanced pedestrian safety to be implemented. This provides links bewtween the town and Janvrin/D'Auvergne schools. | 2021 - 2022 |
Western Cycle Track | Infrastructure improvements between Les Jardins de la Mer and Bel Royal being developed. A feasibility study being undertaken into the pinch point near the bottom of La Haule hill and creating enough space for cyclists and pedestrians. This provides greater connectivity for students accessing town and then onwards travel to the St Saviour's Schools cluster | Ongoing |
Rue du Pont Marquet Crossing | Installing a toucan crossing on the railway walk to enhance safety and create safer routes. This provides safer routes to Les Quennevais and Mont Nicole Schools | 2021 |
Hill Street Cycle Lane | The feasibility of a Hill Street contra-flow cycle lane from Halkett Place to La Motte Street is being investigated - an easier and and more direct route to / from the east side of the town centre. | 2021 |
Covered Cycle Parking | Plans for five town locations are being acted upon, this work will continue to look at active travel infrastructure in schools including cycle parking. | 2021 |
La Route Orange | Safer routes to school (Zebra Crossing Le Moye School) Phase 2 | 2021 |
Mont Nicole | Improved pedestrian crossing facilities on Route des Genets | 2021 |
Grouville | Resurfacing Grouville cycle track with asphalt - Complete | 2021 |
Pilot crossings on St John's Road | Safer routes to school (Zebra Crossing) One year pilot. | 2020 - 2021 |
Active Travel Strategy | We will consult on, and publish, an active travel strategy setting out how walking and cycling will be promoted to all. | 2021 |
Island Plan | The Island Plan sets out a proposals for the sustainable development to promote and enable more walking and cycling. | 2021 |
St Helier Public Realm and Movement Strategy | Strategy being developed by Government of Jersey which will set the vision and principles for improving and enhancing movement and public realm within St Helier, with a focus on | 2021 |
| walking and cycling. |
|
On the 7th December 2020 the Government published an update to the Sustainable Transport Policy (STP) with the States Greffe. This is available as Report R.137/2020 on the States Assembly website and this document outlines progress to date on the STP and the impact of Covid-19 on this area of Government work.
The nature of transport projects means there are multiple constraints to their delivery which affect the timescales. Examples include the need to define the project, need and develop viable options with stakeholders including other authorities and in some cases landowners. There can also be long lead in times for equipment supply and contractor availability.
The government plan has identified increased workload in this area and increase capability and capacity, this is not something which can be built rapidly. The specialist expertise required to manage the design and development of transport and road safety projects requires a long programme of development of local employees and may require some recruitment of specialised and experienced expertise.
Safer Routes to School
The Government has been running a programme of works to create safer routes to schools for a number of years, to encourage walking and where appropriate cycling to school, to reduce school congestion and improve student health.
The table below identifies the projects that have been completed to date:
School | SRTS Completed schemes |
La Moye | Raised table zebra crossing Park and stride from Les Creux Country Park |
Bel Royal | Pelican crossing on La Vallee de St Pierre Virtual footway on La Vallee de St Pierre Virtual footway on La Rue de Haut |
La Rocquier St Clement St Christopher | New footway linking school to St Clement's Parish Hall along sports field Traffic calming measures on Pontorson Lane and Samares Lane Rue Maupertuis closed to through traffic New footway from Samare Nurseries development to Rue Maupertuis |
St Lawrence | Village amenity car park to allow park and stride |
Hautlieu | Virtual footway on Bagatelle Lane linking school with bus park Zebra crossing on Wellington Road |
JCG VCP De La Salle Beaulieu | Virtual footway on Bagatelle Lane Zebra crossing on Wellington Road Additional Bus Layby on Wellington Road One-Way pick-up and drop off for system for Beaulieu |
St Mary | New field footways linking residential areas to the school Road narrowing |
Haute Vallee | Pilot raised table zebra crossing on St John's Road Pedestrian island at Clarke Avenue Dropped kerbs, tactile paving and trip hazard removal on Clarke Avenue |
D'Auvergne | Pilot raised table zebra crossing on St John's Road Pedestrian island at Clarke Avenue |
| Dropped kerbs, tactile paving and trip hazard removal on Clarke Avenue |
Janvrin | Improved pelican crossing facilities on Rouge Bouillon Zebra crossing on Janvrin Road |
Springfield | Zebra crossing on Janvrin Road |
VCP | Speed reducing features on Pleasant Street |
Les Quennevais | Cycle routes linking to existing off road track, Les Ormes and towards St Peter Resurfaced existing cycle route in tarmac |
Rouge Bouillon | Footway widening on Rouge Bouillon New pelican crossing on Rouge Bouillon |
Grainville St Saviour FCJ | Chasse Brunet closed to through traffic Zebra crossing on St Saviour's Hill |
Grouville | Surfacing Off road path alongside Royal Jersey Golf Course – Completed Jan 2021 La Rue de la Haye de Puits – Pedestrian Improvements |
St Lukes | Route du Fort / St Clements Road Crossing (Banned Turn) |
An extensive process has recently been undertaken to review speed limits outside of Schools in St Helier and St Saviour and IHE have worked collaboratively with Comité des Connétable s on this.
Part B Future schemes at feasibility
The programmes of work identified above constitute the forward delivery programme. In addition to these projects, there are a number of other workstreams emerging, with schemes being looked at in terms of feasibility and design.
School | Future Schemes in feasibility |
JCG Prep VCP | Walking bus |
St Saviour's Schools Cluster | School shuttle bus service from west of St Helier |
St Luke | Traffic calming measures on Dicq Road |
Rouge Bouillon Janvrin | Pedestrian improvements in Midvale Road |
First Tower School | Crossings on the Inner Road |
Plat Douet School | Crossings on Plat Douet Road |
Trinity School | Ongoing talks with Parish representatives |
Bel Royal | Improved junction crossing across Rue de Haut |
We also anticipate that there will be a need to update school travel plans in the future to target improvements where there is an evidenced need for transport interventions.
The STP delivery team are also investigating the potential for schools to draw down on funding allocated in the Climate Emergency Fund for Sustainable Transport Infrastructure that will facilitate safe access to and from schools. This is a technically challenging and labour intensive process as a suitable framework for schools to bid for funding will need to be identified. This is required to ensure that proposals are assessed in a fair and objective way so that value for money is delivered in terms of carbon reductions. Funding will also need to be granted in line with strict monitoring and performance targets to ensure funding is not absorbed into general school revenue budgets.
Delivery of the above will be in line with available departmental resources, as explained above. In addition it is known that various parishes are planning and/or delivering schemes to promote safety near schools on their own roads within their own resources.