PLANS to install bollards along a section of St Ouen’s Bay have been labelled ‘thoughtless’ by members of the surfing community, who have urged the government to explore alternative solutions.
The £15,000 project to block parking on the side of the road between El Tico and Le Braye was signed off by Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis.
Joao Camara, St Peter’s Chef de Police, said an accident would happen if something was not done.
But Dominic Boletta, president of the Jersey Surfboard Club, said: ‘From a club point of view, this decision is thoughtless. It is a ridiculous concept and there is no need for these bollards.
‘People will only park along that section of the road maybe three or four times a year when the weather is really hot and there are waves.
‘It is used so infrequently and it is such a rarity that there doesn’t necessarily need to be a solution.
‘After all that we have been through in the past few years, why are they trying to prohibit people from coming down and using the beach?
‘All it is going to do is encourage people to park at other spots on the opposite side of the road which, without investment, are a lot more dangerous for children and families.’
He added: ‘By looking at the weather forecast you can identify when the busiest days of the year are going to be down the bay.
‘On those days, you could send an honorary officer down to police the parking on that section of the road and make sure there is enough room for people to use the footpath. By having cars park more on the road side, you will actually slow the traffic down.’
Heritage campaigner Alastair Layzell said the proposal was akin to using a ‘sledgehammer to crack a nut’.
And local surfer Sam George said introducing bollards would create a ‘real blot on the landscape’ and suggested widening the pedestrian pathway across the Five Mile
Road.
He added that if the government decided to block parking between Le Braye and El Tico, they would have to make better use of the car park towards the south of the sand dunes.
‘There is a perfectly good car park south of Le Braye that could be utilised a bit better and lighten the parking problem.
‘They would need to improve the crossing and create a boardwalk to the beach, like you see in many other European surfing destinations which are set up for beach users.
‘With the population going crazy, St Ouen’s Bay needs some investment,’ he said.
Paddleboarder Verity Thomas said creating a path to access the beach from other car parks was a more ‘logical’ and ‘environmentally-friendly’ solution.
‘You could create decked paths across the dunes from car parks, like they do in others areas like the south of France.
‘It would be an excellent solution, but would require some planning to make it safe for people to cross the road,’ she said.
