Kart track plan on hold

Thursday 20 February 2014

Jersey’s Transport Minister has put the brakes on plans to extinguish the Ronez loop road in St John following concerns from parishioners over kart racing.

Deputy Kevin Lewis had been asked to extinguish the loop road to allow the Kart Club to establish their club more permanently for racing. He had asked Law Officers to instigate the process on the understanding the road would transfer to the Parish. But a heated parish meeting earlier this month showed residents in St John weren’t happy with the plans.

The TTS Minister said: “I am sensitive to the concerns of the Parishioners of St John and I have stopped the extinguishment process to allow further discussions to take place between all parties concerned.

The Constable of St John said: “At the recent Parish Assembly, parishioners expressed concerns around retaining public access and how the area would be policed should the road be extinguished.

“The Law Officers are reviewing the matter but it is hoped that the road can be transferred to the Parish. The Kart Club will then be able to race in line with their planning permit.  If agreement can be reached, a future Parish Assembly will be asked to confirm if they are happy to take over the road.”

The Kart Club have been racing at the Sorel loop road since 1999. The anti-clockwise circuit is run on a closed road which is set up as a race track by the club every weekend between March & October and attracts competitors as young as six.