‘Crossing would not make dangerous junction any safer’

Traffic & Highway Services announced they were launching a public consultation on the proposed introduction of 13 10-hour small car parking spaces on the seaward side at the southern end of South Esplanade, as part of a major road improvement project in the area planned for later this year.

The new spaces would replace existing standard size car parking spaces which would need to be removed in order to put an informal pedestrian crossing point opposite Havelet Waters to improve pedestrian safety in the area.

Senior constable Dennis Le Moignan discussed the issue with fellow constable Jenny Tasker and said they did not believe an informal crossing – similar to the crossing near Town Church and Bucktrouts – would work in the proposed area.

‘Traffic speeds would be different in the two areas, drivers seem to go much quicker at the south of South Esplanade than they do near Town Church,’ Mr Le Moignan said.

‘It would be dangerous to have an informal crossing there – there’s too many junctions and it’s already difficult to see coming out of the area at La Valette and then to have a crossing to think about as well, it’s too dangerous.’

He said the constables had contacted Traffic & Highway Services twice in the past to address the issue of the dangerous area at the bottom of Le Val des Terres.

‘The last time we spoke to T&HS they said they would look into it but we never heard from them again, we were not consulted on this proposal.’

Concerned that a voluntary or informal crossing would not have the desired safety affect needed in the area, the constables believed a more formal crossing would be better.

‘I think T&HS are just trying to do something on the cheap,’ he said.

‘Traffic lights are costly but an informal crossing would only need something like a couple of signs.’

• Traffic and Highway Services were contacted for comment and are formulating a response.