St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft has raised concerns that parking standards in town could be reduced ‘further’ if the number of spaces are reduced and has asked whether it is right that car ownership should be the ‘privilege’ of Islanders living in the rural parishes.
His comments come as the Planning Department carries out a consultation with the industry on the standards of new homes including the size of properties and parking allocation.
It is understood that a public consultation into the issue will be launched in November.
Currently, developers only have to provide 0.7 parking spaces per unit in a new development in town.
‘The standards for new homes which are currently being consulted upon by the Planning Department have lots to commend them, including larger minimum-sized dwellings, more storage space, higher ceilings etc, but I am concerned that parking standards are likely to be reduced still further,’ he wrote in the latest edition of the Town Crier.
Although Mr Crowcroft said cutting the traffic on the Island’s roads is in ‘all our best interests’ as it will improve air quality and reduce the carbon footprint, he also questions why it should solely be down to St Helier residents to manage with less parking.
He added: ‘Is car ownership to be the privilege of residents in the rural parishes? After all, owning a car doesn’t add to congestion or pollution, it’s car use that does that, and St Helier residents probably use their cars less than their country cousins, not needing to do the school run or the commute on four wheels.’
Mr Crowcroft said for families living in town a car enables them to leave St Helier for social and leisure activities.
And although he says some may argue that there is a poor take up of parking spaces that developers do provide, he said that rather than indicating town residents do not want or use a car it could be that the price is ‘pitched too high’ and results in ‘further pressure’ being placed on the ‘limited amount of on-street parking’.
Mr Crowcroft urged the Planning Department to be fair in the way it treats car users across the Island.
‘My message to the planners is: unless you’re prepared to reduce the parking standards for all Islanders, please don’t mess with ours in St Helier,’ he said.
