- St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft believes essential routes into town are too easily blocked
- Drivers faced two-hour tailbacks yesterday after Liberation Day flags on Victoria Avenue came loose in the high winds
- Constable believes the States needs to have a serious look at easing rush-hour congestion
ESSENTIAL routes into town are too easily blocked and the States needs to have a serious look at easing rush-hour congestion, according to St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft.
Drivers faced two-hour tailbacks yesterday after Liberation Day flags put up on poles in the centre of Victoria Avenue came loose in the high winds forcing the closure of the eastbound lane of the dual carriageway for around four hours from 8 am.
In one incident, the rear window of a car was smashed by a falling metal flag fitting.
Mr Crowcroft said that it had long been known that the smallest disruption could have huge knock-on effects to traffic and that yesterday’s incident proved there was a need for action.
He said: ‘There’s an economic cost when that sort of thing happens. And there is an incalculable cost in terms of the impact such disruption has on people’s lives.
‘It only takes the slightest hold-up in Jersey for things to grind to a halt.
‘It highlights the fact that Jersey roads at peak travel hours are saturated – any slight disruption and there are major tailbacks.
‘It begs the larger question what is the States doing to deal with it?’
St Peter Constable John Refault said he would also be calling on TTS to take a stronger approach with the Island’s Sustainable Transport Policy, which aims to get more Islanders walking and cycling to work, or using public transport to reduce traffic.
Mr Refault said he had had meetings with members of the Honorary police yesterday, who said they had not been called to assist with the incident and disruption following the closure of Victoria Avenue.
‘My concerns are about the whole management of the incident,’ he said.
‘Why did they need to close both lanes? Why weren’t those parishes that were affected called to assist? I just feel that it almost seemed like an easy decision to close the whole avenue and let the public sort themselves out.
‘What measures were put in place to ease traffic congestion elsewhere? What facilities were called on to assist?
‘I feel there doesn’t seem to have been a co-ordinated approach to the problem. I’m just frustrated there wasn’t greater thought given to try to address the situation.’
He added that Jersey’s population was going to continue to grow which would only increase traffic and said the States needed to focus on making bus usage more appealing.
Acting Inspector David Turnbull said: ‘The decision to close the carriageway was not taken lightly and I was aware of the disruption that would be caused due to the time of morning but I had to weigh this up with the risk presented to the public, which was high.
‘It was fortunate that the earlier incident had not resulted in serious injury to the male driver and I dread to think what would have happened had there been children in the back of the vehicle.’
The flag and metal fittings were removed from the Avenue in a joint operation between police, the fire service and Transport and Technical Services
Crew Commander Dan Laurens said: ‘It was a joint decision to take down the Liberation bunting as it was quite hazardous. The metal ties holding the bunting in place had started to fail on many of the lamp posts, resulting in short lengths of aluminium bar flying around.
‘It was bad timing for the Avenue to be closed at rush hour, but with a high risk of further damage or worse it was the best and safest option.’
Kayleigh Noel: ‘2 hours just to come down Beaumont Hill it’s madness.’
Lynsey Venton: ‘Turned around & took the day off after taking 2 hours to get from La Haule to Beaumont roundabout!’
Neville Harris: ‘My daughter was an hour late for an A Level exam! Absolute chaos over a few flags; Unbelievable!!!’
Susan Nobes: ‘Just know after this morning I am very glad we live in Jersey and only get this chaos occasionally – I would never survive in big city or motor way traffic!!!!’
Jacqui Smith: ‘I understand that for safety reasons they had to close …but surely they knew we were expecting strong winds today and made sure the flags were secured!!! 2 hours from St Brelade to First Tower!’
Polly Johns: One hour and twenty minutes from St Peter’s to town…. grrrrrr.’
THE gridlock from town to St Peter’s Village which greeted commuters during yesterday’s rush-hour made it clear that we cannot go on as we are. The chaos which followed the closure of the eastbound carriageway of Victoria Avenue for safety reasons showed just how close the Island’s road system is to breaking point. As St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said today, the slightest problem means traffic grinds to a halt. The slightest problem leads to the sort of chaos we had yesterday.
It is a pressing issue that hundreds had plenty of time to consider yesterday as they queued for up to three hours.
Just a few weeks ago, Environment Minister Steve Luce and Transport Minister Eddie Noel felt the wrath of an angry public after suggesting that a sharp rise in parking fees was an answer to getting Islanders to give up their cars and embrace more sustainable modes of transport.
Their approach – to reach for the stick rather than the carrot – was wrong, but their goal was sound. Ministers must make public transport – or walking and cycling – a more attractive proposition. Simply making it more expensive to use a car will breed resentment and hit those least able to pay.
So what has been done to date? Bus fares have gone up and still many outlying parts of the Island do not have a regular bus service that would make life without a car a realistic alternative.
Park and ride schemes have not been fully explored and we are no nearer to effecting the major cultural change away from using cars.
And yet we all know how things could be. During school holidays, the ease of the morning commute is like a blast of fresh air.
Ministers are fond of saying that tax rises are a last resort as they try to tackle the Island’s projected £125 million black hole. And yet at the first breath, they talk of new charges.
It is time for a proper conversation about transport which looks at what is possible and does not get derailed by the can’t do neighsayers. Could one-way systems operate at rush hour? Could there be a bus lane along the avenue? Could cycle routes be improved and made safer? Can we get more children onto school buses?
Are we happy with how things are?
- Islanders are being encouraged not to let this week’s disruption deter them from flying flags this weekend.
- Senator Philip Ozouf yesterday called on Islanders to fly Jersey’s flag with pride for the 70th anniversary of Liberation Day.
- He posted several pictures of Jersey’s red and white flag on Twitter – and even issued his email address for followers who were in need of a borrowed flag.
- Senator Ozouf said that flying flags would help to enhance Jersey’s image on a day when so many eyes would be on us. He also reminded Islanders that this may be the last significant Liberation Day celebration which will be attended by people who lived through the Occupation.
