Closed petition Throw out plans to make lower St. John's road one-way northbound
The current plans to widen the pavement and send traffic northbound one way will force those heading southbound down St. John's road onto Parade Road where the signal controlled junction lets out five cars at the best of times onto the already heavily congested road Elizabeth Place.
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Should the plan go ahead it will increase traffic flow around Helvetia House primary school with more exhaust fumes and raised potential for an accident. Furthermore in the plans for the top end of the road there is a give way chicane presenting more problems on an already dangerous corner where vehicles often cross the white centre line.
Given the plans to go green with electric vehicles and achieve carbon neutral by 2050, it heightens the risk of these almost silent vehicles hitting someone should the area be made more pedestrianised.
This petition is closed All petitions run for 6 months
1,079 signatures
5,000
Ministers responded
This response was given on 15 November 2023
This is only a three-month trial and is necessary to collect factual data on which decisions about future road safety improvements will be based.
The Minister for Infrastructure, the Connétable of St Helier and the Parish Roads Committee decided that a one-way system (northbound), between the junctions with Parade Road and Cheapside, should be trialled as it is believed that this would provide an opportunity to improve and widen footpaths and reduce some local traffic. The aim is to provide a safer and more liveable urban environment.
The purpose of the trial is to gather data on how the experimental road layout affects the movement of people through the area using all modes of transport. It will also monitor changes to air quality and record the views of residents in the area through a programme of active community engagement to understand how this road layout is received. The first community survey was carried out ahead of the trial, running from 9th October to 29th October 2023. Both supportive and critical views were expressed about the proposed road layout.
The Department has carefully considered how the experimental scheme can be safely implemented. The trial will enable the collection of factual data that will provide for an evidence-based conclusion to be reached about whether the benefits of the scheme outweigh the drawbacks and, therefore, whether it should be made permanent.
Further details can be found online at Gov.je.
A number of specific queries have been raised:
1. Traffic Flows: These will be closely monitored for all modes of transport and the data collated as part of the review. Traffic lights at the end of Parade Road at the junction with Elizabeth Place limit capacity, typically allowing four cars per signal cycle. Experience shows that motorists follow a route to achieve the shortest journey time; with the constraint of the traffic lights at the end of Parade Road, routing via Queens Road or Westmount is expected to be the shortest journey times into town from La Grande Route de St John and other approaches to this sector of town. The scheme is a trial to see if the speculated change of traffic below occurs.
2. Safety around Helvetia School: Air quality and traffic movements will be monitored, and the data collated as part of the review.
3. Quiet Electric vehicles and pedestrian safety: The manufacturers of vehicles are required to include sound generators to produce a specified level of noise when running or reversing below 12mph. At higher speeds tyre noise is considered to be sufficient. This is national and island wide issue for the road networks and is not specific to St John’s Road.
The results of the trial will be reviewed, and a decision will be taken as to whether the scheme should be made permanent.