AN environmental campaign group is calling for a one-year park-and-ride scheme to be trialled in the west of the Island to take “hundreds” of vehicles off the road each day.
The group, Jersey in Transition, has identified the former Covid-testing site at the Airport as a suitable location for the scheme, although Ports of Jersey has said it would “need time” to consider the proposal.
Such schemes, which utilise areas with good public transport connections, have proved popular in the UK – enabling commuters to park their cars on the outskirts of a town of city and travel into the centre by bus or rail.
The country’s first permanent park-and-ride site was introduced in Oxford just over five decades ago, with a car park and bus service at Redbridge.
According to Jersey in Transition, there is “more than sufficient parking” at the Airport site to allow hundreds of people to make use of the scheme each day, noting that the area is served by multiple bus routes including the 15 and 22.
The group’s chair, Nigel Jones, said that, should the trial be successful, it could be expanded – adding that a park-and-ride site in each parish would be the ultimate goal.
He continued: “We wouldn’t want to see agricultural land turned into car parks for this, but there must be other areas that are underused.
“We are asking for a trial as this will prove its feasibility.”
According to the group’s proposal, the trial scheme would not require “anything much more” than what is already at the site, with the exception of some additional signage and potentially CCTV at the gate.
“There are thousands of people in Jersey who feel that they live too far from a good bus route for them regularly to use buses for their commutes, shopping and other everyday needs. We have identified that many people in the west of the Island feel this lack very strongly,” the proposal stated.
It acknowledged that private jet operator and handling agent Gama Aviation has submitted a planning application to construct a hangar in the area, but argued that the trial could still be carried out before any potential construction work commenced.
In a statement, Ports of Jersey said it had not yet been consulted by the group in relation to the proposal, adding: “As such, we would need time to consider them and any impact or benefits to our on-going operational land requirements. Ports of Jersey is developing a sustainable transport policy and continues to work closely with the Government of Jersey.”
LibertyBus director Kevin Hart said: “We are supportive of any ideas that get more people on buses.”
He added: “There is capacity on the 15 and 22 and if we need more capacity [to support the scheme] that is something we can look at.”
