Rue des Prés Trading Estate – parking update

07 December 2016

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) is in the process of designating the roads on the Rue des Prés Trading Estate main roads and changing the parking arrangements.

In April 2016 the Minister for Infrastructure made an in-principle decision to formally designate the roads at Rue des Prés Trading Estate as Main Roads. This will bring them under the full provisions of the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956. The process to amend the Law is progressing and is expected to be finalised in spring 2017.

Problem parking

The estate roads have a long history of problem parking, but the situation has deteriorated in recent times, with a marked increase in unauthorised parking taking place on the road and adjoining verges and central reservations etc. There is concern for road safety and for the liability put on the States as the owner of the roads.

Under the present limited designation of the roads, there is very little action which the States can take, as landowner, to control unauthorised parking.

DfI wrote to the 62 businesses and residents on the estate to let them know about the changes to come and has received written responses from 33 traders and have met with, or arranged meetings with, 10 traders to discuss their specific situation. The department will consider these responses and the outcome of detailed discussions with businesses before finalising proposals for parking on the estate.

The Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Eddie Noel, has been notified that a meeting of the Rue des Prés traders has been arranged for Thursday 8 December, but has decided not to attend.

Forum

The Minister said, “Whilst I am happy to hear any feedback from businesses, I don’t consider that the proposed open meeting is an appropriate forum to discuss the operational parking requirements of individual businesses, which are by their very nature commercially confidential. I, therefore, will not be attending nor will I be sending a representative of the Department to attend.

"I note, however, that the meeting is being arranged by a group called the ‘Rue des Prés Traders’. I was not aware that a formally constituted body existed that represents all the traders, but if that is the case I and my officers would be very happy to meet with a nominated delegation to discuss any wider issues that the body may wish to raise.”