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A controversial scheme to introduce a one-way system on the lower part of St John’s Road will become permanent after a successful trial.
Officials from the Infrastructure and Environment Department said the decision followed positive feedback from parishioners regarding the six-month scheme.
Tristen Dodd, head of highways, transport and infrastructure, told the St Helier Roads Committee yesterday that two-thirds of the letters received about the trial to stop northbound traffic using St John’s Road between Cheapside and Parade Road were positive, with the last negative feedback having been received on 30 August and the responses since that date having been entirely supportive.
Mr Dodd said the department had considered direct contact from members of the public, rather than comments made on social media.
Pictured: Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan
Reference was made during the meeting to a petition launched at the time the trial started on 28 May, with more than 600 people backing calls for Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan to consult the public before making the scheme permanent.
It was also noted that the petition had achieved little further support after the first few weeks of its launch.
Mr Dodd said the average volume of traffic on the southern section of St John’s Road had decreased by 1,459 cars per day on weekdays and 1,290 cars at weekends, with analysis showing increases in walking and cycling that had created a safer road environment.
Most northbound traffic had been diverted along Westmount Road and the Ring Road, he added, without creating significant problems in other areas.
A trial to make the affected section of road northbound only was initially due to take place during 2023 but drew significant negative response and was postponed on several occasions before a decision by Constable Jehan, who succeeded former Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet, to reverse the proposed flow of traffic.
A Freedom of Information response published in April last year showed that £98,000 had been spent on the scheme for St John’s Road – which is Government-controlled – at that point.
Silvio Alves, head of infrastructure for the parish, said some residents had complained about motorists using Old St John’s Road as a “rat run” but that the problem had eased following the installation of temporary speed humps on the parish-controlled road.
Although there was some criticism of the Government for failing to refer some of its decisions back to the parish, members of the committee accepted a recommendation that the move should become permanent.
Mr Dodd said officials would proceed to amend the St Helier Road Traffic order in order to make the arrangements permanent, potentially by the spring, with interim measures being put in place prior to the law being changed.
Constable Jehan, who attended the roads committee meeting at the Town Hall, said afterwards: “I am pleased that the trial has been successful and particularly pleased to have had such positive feedback from the residents of the area.”
Plans to make the lower section of St John's Road one-way were first announced on Monday 26 June. It was at the time scheduled to be in place by the start of autumn term.
Before the end of June, a senior transport planner shared his concerns about the scheme in a leaflet sent to residents, and an e-petition opposing the scheme was launched.
Following the criticism, on Friday 4 August, the trial was postponed to after October half-term.
On Thursday 19 October 2023, the scheme was postponed after government staff flagged that the ramps ordered were not up to Jersey's legal requirements. In emails, they said they had notified the Communications team and the Parish of St Helier – however, the delay was never communicated.
The scheme did not start after October half-term.
On Wednesday 15 November, Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet responded to the petition, saying the scheme was just a three-month trial and would serve to gather data, and 4 December was cited as a start date.
On Tuesday 28 November, the Government issued an update, complete with maps of the roadworks, saying that the trial would start next Monday 4 December and gave dates for temporary road closures, when the scheme was due to be installed.
Days later, the scheme was postponed again until the start of the new year, with no exact date set. This was said to be due to "unforeseen supply and labour issues". It emerged later that one of the issues was that £5,000 had been spent on ramps that did not meet the legal requirements for Jersey roads.
On Wednesday 21 February, new Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said he would ask officers to review the scheme.
On Tuesday 2 April, a new trial was announced to make the road one-way, southbound only.
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