PLANS to trial a one-way system on a section of St John’s Road have been pushed back following widespread criticism from Islanders.
The three-month trial was due to begin on 21 August and would have seen the lower part of the town road, between the junction with Parade Road and Cheapside, made northbound only – with temporary bollards to allow more space for walking.
But yesterday, the government said a delay would allow ‘further data gathering’ to happen, including monitoring of traffic flow and air quality.
Under the scheme, traffic going into town would be diverted along Westmount Road and Parade Road.
Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet said the trial would now take place after half-term.
‘This small stretch of St John’s Road has long been a concern, as it’s particularly narrow for two-way traffic and the pavements are also exceptionally slender. We want to see if the situation can be improved for St John’s Road residents, and those who walk in the area.’
While the government argued it would make the area safer, people living in the vicinity have said that it would not have the desired effect and also raised concerns about the level of consultation.
In a leaflet created in a private capacity and distributed to residents in the area, Chartered Transport Planning Professional Rob Hayward argued that the proposal would turn Parade Road – where he lives – into an ‘accident waiting to happen’ for children and elderly people in particular. And a petition calling for the trial to be halted gained hundreds of signatures.
Deputy Binet added: ‘We’ve listened to the initial feedback about the scheme – both supportive comments and people’s concerns – and we want to be clear about any benefits or issues at the end of the trial. This short delay will enable us to get some more baseline data for comparison.’
