This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost. Let us know if you find any major problems.
Text in this format is not official and should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
2024.07.16
2.1 Deputy D.J. Warr of St. Helier South of the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the public car park at Cyril Le Marquand Court (OQ.136/2024)
Will the Minister explain why the public car park at Cyril Le Marquand Court remains closed despite the housing development being completed; and will he state when the public car park will be opened?
Connétable A.N. Jehan of St. John (The Minister for Infrastructure):
I thank the Deputy for his question. The Cyril Le Marquand Court development has been undertaken by Andium, and included within its design was the construction of a 136 public space car park to be provided to Jersey Car Parks under a leasing agreement. Members will be aware the development has been the subject of delays emanating from the COVID pandemic and then the contractor going out of business, all of which have been reported in the media. The delay to the car park construction programme has been a direct result of these unfortunate events. Currently Andium's new contractor is undertaking the snagging works to bring the car park to the required standards to allow Jersey Car Parks to take occupancy and commence the lease. The developers latest programme for these works show us taking occupancy and the final commissioning during August, at which point Charles Street Car Park will be open to the public.
- Deputy D.J. Warr :
I thank the Minister for his answer. When was the Minister first made aware of the delay in the reopening of the public car park and did he make any effort to communicate this with the business community of St. Helier , given the economic impact the lack of parking in town is having on traders? If not, why not?
The Connétable of St. John :
I am not sure the date that I was made aware that there was a problem but we do not have a lease starting until we take that lease from the current contractor. It is not in our hands at the moment. I am delighted to say in terms of parking that the hopper bus has seen the usage double since we started to promote the hopper bus, and encourage the Deputy and other Deputies in St. Helier to continue to promote the hopper bus so that more and more people can get in and around town.
- Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade :
I think it arises from the supplementaries, but there are lots of areas in town which are not accessible by car and presumably people with mobility issues still manage to get around. Would the Minister look holistically about arrangements for accessibility in town and where car parking is either not available at all or roads are not available to cars to make sure there is infrastructure so that mobility can be assured in all parts of St. Helier ?
The Connétable of St. John :
We are working with the representative of the blue badge holder to see if we can improve parking for those communities. I am answering a question about that later. I have to recommend Shop Mobility, which is based at Sand Street Car Park, which does enable lots of people to get in and around the precincts, in and around town, using their services.
- Deputy I. Gardiner of St. Helier North :
My supplementary also is coming from the Minister's response to the supplementary. We all welcome the hopper bus service that has been mentioned by the Minister. There is a difficulty to find online very quickly the route of the hopper bus. Would the Minister ensure that it has been published widely because the elderly people asked me and I could not find it immediately?
The Connétable of St. John :
I am more than happy to do that. I am also going to encourage both LibertyBus and my department to promote the hopper bus some more.
The Deputy Bailiff :
Final supplementary, Deputy Warr . Deputy D.J. Warr :
No, thank you.