15 September 2016
Work will start next year on improvements for pedestrians in Conway Street as part of the Future St Helier project .
Conway Street is a major pedestrian link between the pedestrian precinct in King Street and the Waterfront and Liberation Station. A recent survey has shown that 1,518 people were using the western side pavement in an hour at lunch time and 509 using the eastern side. The narrow width on the western pavement can make it difficult for pedestrians to pass each other, especially when there are people exiting from the many businesses that line that side of the road.
Teams from both the Department for Infrastructure and the Parish of St Helier will work together on the scheme in 2017. The work will include:
- widening of western pavement by at least 80cm along its length from Commercial Street to Broad Street to increase space for pedestrians
- moving the unloading bay on the eastern side to Wharf Street
- building out the south-side kerb of Commercial Street where it joins Conway Street will to help pedestrians walking northwards towards the precinct and traffic exiting Commercial Street
- removing the zebra crossing and replacing it with a courtesy crossing at the end of Commercial Street.
Future St Helier
This project has been identified as a priority and is supported by the Parish of St Helier, the Future St Helier Group and Jersey in Transition Group.
Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Eddie Noel, said “I am pleased that we now have this project programmed in for early next year and Conway Street can better act as a pedestrian corridor between the town centre and the Waterfront.”
Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, said “I'm delighted that the Future St Helier project is starting to make a real difference on the ground. There is a huge number of pedestrians that use Conway Street and it's only right that we give them more of the road to use. It's timely, with another workshop happening this coming Saturday, that the Parish of St Helier and the Departments of Infrastructure and Environment demonstrate that we're working well together and making good progress."
St Helier Connetable, Simon Crowcroft, said "These public realm improvement works will satisfy the Conway Street Traders' group which has drawn attention to the congested pavements for some time. Jersey in Transition Group has also carried out counts which show that relatively few motorists use the street when compared to the number of pedestrians in it. The works will also complement La Bantchette, the new public toilets building constructed by the Parish at the junction with Cross Street, and will help to link two of our town's best public spaces, Liberation Square and the Le Sueur obelisk."
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