Road signage and related correspondence (FOI)

Request

An FOI request of 09 December 2021 says on the lack of signage on the end of a 20 mph zone heading towards Corbiere that: "The location of signage will be adjusted including a new 30mph sign opposite 'Syvret's Garage' facing east, which will better define the extent of the 20mph zone."

Is there any timetable for this to be put into place as it is now April and said signage has not appeared?

Emails/correspondence relating to the previous FOI and after that date relating to signage at that location.

Response

Following Infrastructure, Housing and Environment’s response to the referenced Freedom of Information request, the Transport section sought permission from the adjacent landowner to install a new pole and 20mph sign. At the time the 20mph sign facing east-bound traffic was installed. It was intended to also install a 30mph speed limit sign facing west bound traffic immediately opposite the 20mph sign.

This signage forms part of a wider scheme that is ongoing looking at improvements to road safety in the local area. This review is not yet complete and therefore Article 35 of the Freedom of Information of (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. It has however been established that the 30mph sign your request refers to was able to be installed and is now in place.

A search of the email back up system (Cryoserver) which holds copies of  emails sent and received by Government staff has been undertaken. The following search terms were used - ‘Route Orange’, ‘Moye School’, ‘Syvret’, ‘Sign’, ‘Sergente’ and ‘Creux’, to capture correspondence regarding the signage outside Syvret’s Garage.  The email accounts for Government of Jersey staff involved in the wider project were also reviewed.

Personal information has been redacted in accordance with Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 (the Law).

Articles applied

Article 25 - Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005.

(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005; and

(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.

Article 35 - Formulation and development of policies

Information is qualified exempt information if it relates to the formulation or development of any proposed policy by a public authority.

In applying this article, the following considerations were taken into account.

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure 

• Disclosure of the information would support transparency and promote accountability to the general public, providing confirmation that the necessary discussions have taken place.
• Disclosure to the public fulfils an educative role about the early stages in policy development and illustrates how the department engages with parties for this purpose.  

Public interest considerations favouring withholding the information 

• In order to best develop policy and provide advice to Ministers, officials need a safe space in which free and frank discussion can take place – discussion of how documentation is presented and provided is considered as integral to policy development as iterations of documents are demonstrative of the policy development process.
• Release of the information at this stage might generate misinformed debate. This would affect the ability of officials to consider and develop policy away from external pressures, and to advise Ministers appropriately. 
• Premature disclosure of this information may limit the willingness of parties to provide their honest views and feedback. This would hamper and harm the policy–making process not only in relation to this subject area but in respect of future policy development across wider departmental business. 

Attachments.pdf