15 January 2008
Following a highly successful collaboration with the local media to involve the public in finding a title for the Island’s new bus station, now named Liberation Station, the Transport and Technical Services Department would like to run a similar exercise to progress its very popular beach showers project.
The beach shower project was instigated on the personal initiative of Transport Minister, Deputy Guy de Faye, as one of his early Ministerial decisions. As a consequence, Transport and Technical Services has now installed 18 new showers at 16 beach-side sites around Jersey’s coastline.
The existing installations are at Bel Royal, Dicq, Green Island, Green Street (Mount Bingham end), Greve de Lecq, Gunsite, La Braye, La Haule (Toilets), La Mare, Le Port (St Ouen’s Bay), Les Laveurs, Long Beach, Millard’s Corner, Plemont, Wayside Cafe and West Park.
Additionally, there are plans to install a further three showers in the coming year, at La Haule slipway, Ouaisne and Sands.
Most of the showers are subject to enthusiastic all year round use by both local residents and visitors, some of it occasionally both novel and inventive. In general, however, they have proved extremely useful for dousing beach sand off both children and pets, as well as for washing off salt water from bathers, surfers, wetsuits and various other beach accessories.
The showers have also proved to be cheaper to construct than was expected, which has resulted in surplus funding being available for some additional shower units. Many of the current locations were dictated by the pre-existence of public toilets or were simply obvious areas of demand. However, it is now possible to open the final phase of the scheme to popular request. Accordingly, the Transport Minister is seeking the assistance of the local media in consulting their listeners, readers and viewers to determine the selection of at least three further shower sites. Nominations can also be made in writing to the Transport and Technical Services Minister, Transport and Technical Services Department, States Offices, South Hill, St Helier, JE4 8UY or by email to tts@gov.je by the end of January 2008.
Deputy Guy de Faye commented,” Whilst TTS has very capable and intelligent officers, the Department does not have a monopoly of local knowledge. I am sure that there will be one or more sites that would benefit from a new shower installation that have been overlooked and I expect Jersey residents will be quick to identify them.”
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