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The "nightmare" parking situation in St. Helier is the building trade's "biggest issue", according to tradespeople – who warn that they are increasingly turning down jobs in town due to the cost and "hassle".
The owner of a local window business also said that the lack of parking in town could result in prices for building work becoming more expensive, as business owners factor the cost of parking tickets into the price of the job.
Lee Windsor, owner of glazing and repair business Monarch Window Doctor, went on to describe St. Helier as a “no go zone” and a “complete hassle” for jobs.
“All the good tradesmen are avoiding town like the plague,” he added.
The business owner said: “Local business in town, like hairdressers, can’t get tradesmen in to work on them.
“Town is going to die soon – and it’s not just because of Amazon.”
Pictured: “All the good tradesmen are avoiding town like the plague.”
Mr Windsor said that the current system is "only going to get worse" as, even with a parking permit for jobs, he feels "lucky" to find a spot to park.
Mr Windsor also explained that the lack of parking can be particularly problematic in emergency situations, describing one instance where he struggled to find parking near a local pub where a sharp piece of glass was hanging down and at risk of injuring someone.
"It could've decapitated someone!" he said. "I needed to get there as quickly as possible to make it safe, and I couldn't find anywhere nearby to park my van full of tools."
Shane O’Keeffe, a tradesman who has worked locally for five years, described parking in St. Helier as an “absolute nightmare”.
“Parking is the biggest issue in our industry,” he said. “It feels like tradesmen are not prioritised.
"People want us to build all these new flats and office blocks, but who’s paying for our parking?”
Mr O’Keeffe explained: “Our bosses are turning down jobs in town as the price for parking just ramps up costs.”
Pictured: Mr O’keeffe described how it is impossible for tradespeople to use public transport when travelling with ladders and heavy tools.
The tradesman said that he understood the focus on reducing the number of cars, but that the needs of traders should not be ignored.
He explained that it is impossible to use public transport when a job requires large tools and ladders, as a lot of his equipment is "too heavy to drag through town".
"A lot of the time, the company won't pay for parking so its coming out of our own wages as well," he said.
"St. Helier looks dilapidated. If [the Government] want to revamp Jersey, then they need to let us traders in town. It's a shame to see the island going the way it is."
Dave Le Feuvre of Dave Le Feuvre Plumbing and Heating, agreed.
"All tradesmen think the same and don’t want to work in St. Helier due to the nightmare of trying to park," he said. "We can’t park on unloading bays to do jobs.
"You've got to park a long way from properties and constantly have to walk to vans to collect tools and materials, and when you need to go to merchants and lose your parking space, it takes forever to find another one!"
Pictured: “My company’s record is £320 in fines in one week.”
Alan Smith, Director of Liquid Rubber Solutions, also said that he has "turned down work in town where the parking is so distant or problematic that the job isn’t worth doing".
He explained: “My work involves a significant amount of tools and materials and if, every time you need something from the vans, my employees have a 30 minute round trip to make, it becomes onerous and expensive.
“My company’s record is £320 in fines in one week.”
Ron Loraine, who is in his 70s and has been working in the building industry for more than 50 years, described it as “impossible to work in town now”.
"You can't work in town with a van," he said. "You just can't do it."
Pictured: "I won't go anywhere near town with my van."
Mr Loraine explained that he will take on "small jobs" in town, but will not longer agree to any work in St. Helier that requires a van.
Overhearing the interview, Mr Loraine's friend – "Steve the Plumber" – chimed in: "Working in town is distressing. Not the jobs, but the parking is distressing.
"I won't go anywhere near town with my van."
Briony Price, owner of Phoenix Plumbing and Heating, said parking for vans as the “main problem” faced by her business.
"Vans don't fit in multi-storeys, and residents' parking spaces are too short for them," she said.
The local business owner has worked in the plumbing industry for 27 years and admitted that “it has become much harder to park” recently.
Ms Price said that, although she was still taking jobs in town as her tools are "fairly portable", she could understand why tradespeople who need larger equipment were turning work down.
"I know loads of trading people who won't work in town now," she admitted.
Ms Price said that she understood the push for sustainable travel, but added: "You can only take a finite number of people out of motor vehicles – we need them for our jobs."
She added that the recent pedestrianisation of the area around the Arts Centre has resulted in the loss of another six parking spaces.
Pictured: Ms Price said that the loss of the Esplanade car park had impacted the ability to carry out work in offices around Seaton Place and flats at the Waterfront.
Ms Price described changes around the Esplanade as "the worst". The loss of the Esplanade car park happened at the same time as more flats were being built at the Waterfront alongside the large number of offices in the Seaton Place area.
"It's difficult to get a space anywhere nearby now that the Esplanade [car park] is gone," she said. "None of these new flats have visitor parking, but unfortunately stuff still breaks and people still need tradespeople in town."
The business owner said that the lack of parking "does impact on the cost for customers".
"It's unfortunate, but the [parking] costs have to be passed on," she said.
Express has contacted the Constable of St. Helier and Government for comment.
INSIGHT: The bid to end "car dominance" in St. Helier
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