The Sustainable Transport Policy report
The Sustainable Transport Policy: Next Steps report was published in December 2023 and includes:
- planned infrastructure improvements and behaviour change programmes aimed at promoting health and wellbeing
- helping the Island improve its carbon emission performance
- the next steps for the Sustainable Transport Policy, which was adopted in 2020
The second interim report on the sustainable transport policy, published in 2021 provided an interim update on progress since the Sustainable Transport Policy was published.
The Sustainable Transport Policy report prioritises:
- making the roads safer for all of us
- reallocating road space to prioritise cycling and walking
- raising the profile of public transport
- managing vehicle movement through parking measures
- supporting the Island’s economy
- enabling future transport mobility and legislative change
Key commitments include:
- the creation of a Strategic Road Safety Unit and the publication of a road safety strategy
- publishing a Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Strategy in 2024, identifying a programme of strategic corridors for cycling and key walking zones across the Island
- creating more accessible, safer, covered waiting areas for bus users
- identifying opportunities to bring low carbon vehicles into the bus fleet
- reviewing charges and charging time periods for parking in public car parks
- working with key stakeholders to support shared mobility transport solutions
The report includes a map of high-level “Strategic Corridors”, where investment is needed to improve cycling facilities.
It also outlines an ambition to reduce the use of vehicles in the centre of St Helier, which may see commuter parking moved to areas nearer the edge of town.
The report also includes a series of updated statistics, showing that:
- 2,000 additional electric vehicles are now registered in Jersey compared to 6 years ago
- 4.7 million passenger journeys a year across Jersey’s bus network
- 24% of people who live and work in St Helier drive to work
Active Travel
The Active Travel - Primary Evidence Base report informed the identification of strategic corridors for cycling and key walking zones across the Island. These were published in the Sustainable Transport Policy report. The Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Strategy, due to be published in 2024, will set out our next steps on delivering improvements in cycling and walking infrastructure.
Sustainable transport and the Carbon Neutral Roadmap
Transport accounts our largest source of greenhouse gas emissions at 41% of emissions in Jersey.
There is an important link between transport and the climate emergency, but the Sustainable Transport Policy also must consider:
- the Island’s environmental needs
- the Island’s economic needs
- our community needs
- the associated challenges and opportunities
The States of Jersey has declared a climate emergency and the Carbon Neutral Roadmap was adopted in April 2022.
The Carbon Neutral Roadmap sets out Jersey’s pathway to net zero. It outlines the policies that will help us to meet the net zero ambition.
To become net zero by 2050 we need to phase out the use of almost all petrol and diesel vehicles from the Island’s roads. More information can be found on Jersey's greenhouse gas emissions webpage.
The Carbon Neutral Roadmap contains policies that will help us change the way we travel. This includes policies to:
- speed up the adoption of electric vehicles, including subsidising buying them
- phase out petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030
- support people to walk, cycle or take the bus
Reducing our reliance on petrol and diesel vehicles will play a major role in our response to the climate emergency. Finding ways to encourage more walking, cycling and use of public transport will have many benefits, including:
- helping tackle climate change
- enabling Islanders to become more active and healthy
- improving local air quality
- easing congestion on our roads
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