Island ‘should follow UK and halt shared space schemes’

Island ‘should follow UK and halt shared space schemes’

Michael Pringle, whose three-year-old son Clinton was killed after being hit by a van in a shared-space area next to the Millennium Town Park in 2016, has renewed his call for the States and parish road authorities to review the schemes and make changes to ‘dangerous’ so-called shared spaces.

His comments come after the UK government this week told councils to ‘pause’ new schemes which are being considered or designed for further research to be carried out into the concept of shared spaces.

In Jersey, Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis said he would be looking at the UK report and discussing it with departmental officials tomorrow.

Shared-space schemes were designed as traffic-calming measures. In such areas there are no barriers or kerbs between pedestrians and cars, with the aim being that it forces motorists to slow down and drive more carefully.

However, the schemes have led to confusion as to where pedestrians should walk and disability charities – including Eyecan Jersey – have said that shared-space roads are difficult to navigate for disabled people, particularly those with eyesight problems.

Last September, Mr Pringle, whose son was on holiday from Scotland when he was killed, was one of a group of campaigners who delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for Prime Minister Theresa May’s government to review the use of shared road spaces.

And, following the UK government’s latest decision to pause such projects, Mr Pringle said: ‘I think they cause confusion, are dangerous and regardless of what happened to my son I would have thought that.

‘I welcome the move by the government and I would hope that Jersey follows the UK’s lead. The layout of Tunnell Street had a bearing on the death of my son.

‘My son was very careful and would never wander onto a road. There is no doubt that these schemes cause confusion.’

Last year, Rebekah Le Gal pleaded guilty to causing Clinton’s death by careless driving and was given a suspended sentence.

The parish of St Helier, which is responsible for the road, said sections of the road around the town park would be changed following the three-year-old’s death. However, Mr Pringle has said more needs to be done to protect pedestrians in the area.

Mr Pringle added: ‘I hope that Jersey would sit up and take notice of what is going on elsewhere and get something significantly changed about that area.

‘The changes don’t go anywhere near far enough. Pavements should be re-introduced, which would prevent vehicles straying onto pedestrian areas.

‘We paid the ultimate price and it is something we will never recover from.’

Meanwhile, Chris Frost, rehabilitation officer for Eyecan Jersey, said the States needed to make sure they properly consulted disability charities when it comes to road layouts.

‘Certainly our point of view, from dealing with people who are sight-impaired, we have found these schemes to be problematic,’ he said.

‘We have a good relationship with the Infrastructure Department and we welcome their consultation with different user groups.

‘I hope they are listening to what is going on in the UK. One of the things we really want to see more of is controlled crossings.’

Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis said his department would be ‘studying the UK report’ and that the primary aim was to ‘keep everybody safe’.

The JEP has attempted to contact St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft but had not had a response at the time of publication.

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