Last month it was reported that a toucan crossing – which allows cyclists and pedestrians to cross at the same time – could be put in place by the Infrastructure Department on Rue du Pont Marquet following requests from path users to make the area safer.
The department also held a public consultation session and is currently analysing the responses.
However, Mr Jackson said that although he acknowledges that the junction is dangerous, a more sympathetic solution could be implemented.
‘The approach to this has been a bit heavy-handed and I think we could improve the visibility of the junction from the St Aubin side without installing traffic lights,’ he said.
‘I am not keen on over-urbanising the area but I am also conscious of the safety issues and accept that the crossing is perilous at the moment.
‘There is a very fine balance between safety and aesthetics and some people will argue that you cannot compromise on safety but I think this particular case is subjective.’
Mr Jackson added that the installation of the lights would also mean putting in warning signs, zig-zag markings on the road and bollards and
the proposal risked
urbanising the area.
‘If the lights were to go in it would also mean the installation of warning signage and putting paint on the road and it would just go on and on from there,’ he said.
‘I have had a fair bit of representation on this from people and there have been more people speaking against it than those who are for it and I do think the department needs to come to a compromise.’
Alastair Layzell, founding chairman of Save Jersey’s Heritage, also raised concerns about the plans and said that traffic could instead be channelled into a single lane through the crossing, with a give-way system put in place.
‘If you are driving from St Aubin, you come up the dip, come round the curve and you are suddenly upon the railway walk crossing,’ he said.
‘I am not by any means advocating not doing anything but from a public realm camp, I do not believe this is the right way to do it.
‘I think it might be possible to build out the carriageway with a grass verge and have a single lane of traffic with a give-way system in place.’
The Infrastructure Department has been approached for a response.
