WORK on a project of road improvements in Trinity will begin on Tuesday, the government has confirmed, in spite of lingering dissatisfaction in the parish that has led to a further meeting being scheduled later in the week.
Parishioners, who had already lobbied successfully for changes to the proposed scheme, used an ancient legal device known as a requête to oblige their Constable to hold a parish assembly.
The meeting will take place at Trinity Parish Hall on Thursday 2 November at 7.15pm, while the government has confirmed that work will commence on Tuesday.
Constable Philip Le Sueur said while he respected the right of parishioners to bring a requête – which requires ten signatories regardless of which parish it is brought in – he was disappointed with the last-minute nature of the move.
He said: “Of course, parishioners have a right to bring a requête and, while not surprised, I am disappointed that it is so last-minute and some of those who have signed it have not engaged in any part of the consultation process, nor attended any exhibitions or meetings that have taken place over the last two years.
“I personally have no reservations about the project, nor the consultation process undertaken to get to this stage but, of course, I am under a duty to listen to my parishioners and must hold a parish assembly on receipt of a proper requête for one.”
The wording of the requête demands that attendees at the meeting can vote on three options for Rue ès Picots, the main west–east thoroughfare through the parish immediately south of Trinity Church.
Mr Le Sueur added: “Given the number of differing views at the parish meeting on 12 October, it was clear that the proposal was not going to please everyone, but the government has engaged professionals to undertake this project and we should rely on their judgments.”
The original proposals for the project led to what Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet described in July as “quite an extraordinary level of discontent”, with a proposed one-way system subsequently being scrapped.
The work due to begin on Tuesday will include reduced speed limits on a number of roads, as well as a raised pedestrian crossing on Rue ès Picots.
