THE government is having another go at making a stretch of the promenade in St Aubin’s Bay safer.
The Infrastructure Department was first prompted to review the safety along the La Haule walkway – where there is no physical barrier – following a near-fatal accident in 2019, when a pedestrian fell onto the beach below and was knocked unconscious.
An application to introduce railings along the sea wall was put forward the following year, but was rejected on the grounds that it would restrict the uninterrupted views across the bay and conflict with the anti-tank wall (Panzermauer 7), which has special protection as a listed structure.
Two years later, the Infrastructure Department instead put forward plans for a granite “upstand” – a tiny “wall” that would have been 30cm high.
The small granite structure was due to be installed in the autumn, but works were abruptly halted after a public backlash.
Concerns were also raised by civil servants and Andium Homes.
Key complaints about the proposals included that the “upstand” would itself exacerbate the problem by being a trip hazard, and that the project’s £90,000 price tag did not represent good value.
Months later, the States police reported that a cyclist had fallen off his bike and onto the beach below in the early morning.
Officials have now reverted to railings, and a fresh planning application has been submitted.
Documents included as part of the application described the installation of railings as the “most robust safety solution” and one which would “cause minimal harm to the character of the area”.
The application also states that such a change would contribute to “overcoming barriers to cycling” in line with a government push for Islanders to use greener forms of transport.
Under the plans, the railings would be painted in a “recessive dark green colour” to help “lessen their visual impact”.
The application appears to have divided opinion, and generated more than 100 comments when it was shared on the St Brelade parishioners Facebook page.
Many said they felt it was a necessary step, with one stating that “safety should come before money”. But others said that safety in the area was a matter of applying “common sense”.
