Cycle Route: Havre des Pas to West Park: Highway Improvements

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A decision made 19 August 2011 regarding:

Decision Reference: MD-T-2011-0083
Decision Summary Title :	Proposed Cycle Way Linking Havre des Pas to West Park		Date of Decision Summary:	25 July 2011
Decision Summary Author:	Acting Senior Engineer		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Proposed Cycle Way Linking Havre des Pas to West Park		Date of Written Report:	25 July 2011
Written Report Author:	Acting Senior Engineer		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: To approve the construction of various highway improvements that together will provide a continuous and improved off road cycle route from Havre des Pas to West Park.
Decision(s): The Minister approved the proposals contained within the attached report which will result in a continuous off road cycle route from Havre des Pas to West Park.
Reason(s) for Decision: To provide a legible shared cycle walking route between Havre des Pas and West Park that will provide an off road connection between the east and west of St Helier for use by commuters, tourists and leisure cyclists and walkers, that supports the aims of the Sustainable Transport Policy.
Resource Implications: Each of the sections described in the report will be funded from various Departmental sources. Standalone sections of work will be funded from the Sustainable Transport Fund. Other sections can be achieved by including the work within planned routine maintenance and resurfacing.
Action required: Acting Senior Engineer to organise the required co-ordination, consultation, planning approvals and construction of the various sections of work discussed in this report.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Cycle Route: Havre des Pas to West Park: Highway Improvements

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

PROPOSED CYCLE WAY LINKING HAVRE DES PAS TO WEST PARK

Purpose of the Report

To approve the construction of various highway improvements that together will provide a continuous and improved off road cycle route from Havre des Pas to West Park.

Background

The States of Jersey Sustainable Transport Policy sets out the goal of reducing car use by encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport. Improved cycling facilities will play an important part in achieving those targets. It has been identified that providing a legible cycle route between Havre des Pas and West Park will provide a safe connection between the east and west of the Island for use by commuters, tourists, leisure cyclists and walkers.

Discussion

An assessment of the options for providing a continuous and upgraded cycle route from Havre des Pas to West Park has been carried out. A route has been identified and broken down into a number of sections which require different approaches and strategies. The route and approximate sections are shown at Appendix 1, and an outline proposal for each section is discussed below.

Section 1 - Havre des Pas Promenade from the D’Auvergne Hotel to Havre des Pas Slipway

There is little opportunity for widening this section of the promenade. However, the promenade is wide enough to accommodate the expected level of shared cycle and pedestrian use. The wooden shelters adjacent to the D’Auvergne Hotel may need some adaptation to improve inter visibility between cyclists and pedestrians on the bends.

Sections 2 to 5 - Havre des Pas Slip to Route de Veulle

This section has been completed and was provided as part of the Energy from Waste (EFW) plant planning condition requirements to provide an emergency service access road from Havre des Pas to La Collette, as well as a cycle path alongside the EFW access road.

Section 6 - Route de Veulle adjacent to the Abattoir

The footpath alongside the Abattoir is currently too narrow on both sides of the road to provide sufficient width for a shared pedestrian / cycle route. A safe crossing point is also required at this location as the cycle route can be better accommodated on the west side of Commercial Buildings. A wide pedestrian refuge is a suitable crossing facility at this location.

Route de Veulle is relatively wide at this location, and along with a widening of highway land into the abattoir screening bunds, a crossing point with 3m wide cycle track on both sides of the road can be accommodated

The resurfacing of Commercial Buildings requires the kerb channel lines to be raised to allow the road to be strengthened. The new horizontal kerb alignments required for the cycle track can be carried out as part of this road re-construction.

Sections 7 and 8 - Junction of Route de Veulle, Mount Bingham and Commercial Buildings

The Harbours Department have planning approval to develop the former pilot house into a permanent retail unit for the fresh fish company. As part of this proposal a car park will be provided in the area which is currently used to store boats. This will allow the removal of roadside parking at the junction, and allow a rationalisation of the junction manoeuvres. Space for a shared cycle way and roadside footpath will be provided on the south of the road. Road safety at this junction will be significantly improved by this arrangement.

Section 9 - French Harbour

It is proposed, subject to consultation and approval, to widen the existing wall to the east of the slipway to provide a shared use path suitable for use by harbour users as well as tourists, commuters, cyclists and general walkers.

Section 10 - La Folie

There is the opportunity to utilise the existing road that passes to the west of the former La Folie Public House. This section can be achieved with road markings.

Section 11 - English Harbour

It is proposed to widen the existing wall to the east of the slipway, again this is used by pedestrians, 3m wide shared use cycle footpath is therefore indicated.

Sections 12 and 13 - Commercial Buildings from English Harbour to Steam Clock

There is little scope for achieving a cycle path of the full 3m wide width along this section. However, there is scope to make better use of the harbour edge promenade section. Available space can be maximised by de-cluttering this section, by removing some of the benches, replacing the crash barrier with “Jersey post and two”, and re-locating the street lighting columns into the line of the new fence. At the very narrow locations where the harbour steps are, sufficient space can be provided locally by the removal of six parking spaces at each of the step locations. The crash barrier in the location of the bend will be replaced with a more aesthetically pleasing and robust granite wall.

Section 14 - Steam Clock and Kufra’s Car Park

For this section there is an option to mark an on road cycle route on the existing access road to the New North Quay. However a cycle route following this road could not be a segregated route, and therefore cyclists would be mixing with and crossing the HGV’s accessing the New North Quay. A safer and preferred route would follow the roadside footpath alongside Route de La Liberation along the northern boundary of the Steam Clock Park which would need to be widened out to 3m from the pedestrian barrier. This section of footpath can be widened on to land that is currently planted. Cyclists will be segregated from vehicles, including 15m trailer units and other heavy goods vehicles, by following this route.

A Planting plan will need to be agreed and developed with the States of Jersey Development Company.

The existing pedestrian refuge at the entrance to the New North Quay will be enlarged to accommodate cycles, as part of the Commercial Buildings road reconstruction project.

Additional width of footpath can be achieved alongside the car park outside Kufra’s by rationalising the current construction.

Section 15 - Albert Marina

Sections 15 to 19 have already been designated for shared pedestrian and cyclists use. The existing promenade is 4m wide and cannot be widened without removing the planting beds. However 4m is sufficient for a shared cyclist and pedestrian route for this short distance.

Section 16 - Castle Street Roundabout

At only about 2m wide in places this section of cycle track is proving too narrow, especially at the point where the zebra crossing brings pedestrians on to it. There is room to widen this section out to at least 4m using the planted area alongside the Albert Flats. A planting plan will need to be developed and agreed with stakeholders.

Section 17 - Cine World

There is no scope for improvements in this location.

Section 18 - Cine World to Gloucester Street

Improvements in this area could include surfacing the existing hoggin with tarmac, removing the dog leg and improving the inter visibility for cyclists and pedestrians in the area of the Gloucester Street traffic lights.

Section 19 - alongside Jardin de la Mer

Although the granite paving in parts of this section can prove uncomfortable for cyclists, this paving does act to slow down cyclists in this high pedestrian flow area, which includes waiting bus users. It is therefore not proposed to do anything in this area.

Conclusion

A continuous off road cycle route can be provided from Havre des Pas to West Park.

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the proposals contained within this report which will result in a continuous off road cycle route from Havre des Pas to West Park.

Reason(s) for Decision

To provide a legible shared cycle walking route between Havre des Pas and West Park that will provide an off road connection between the east and west of St Helier for use by commuters, tourists, leisure cyclists and walkers, that supports the aims of the Sustainable Transport Policy.

Resource Implications

Each of the sections described above have been or will be funded from various Departmental sources in a combination of standalone sections of work and by combining the work with routine maintenance and resurfacing.

Action Required

Acting Senior Engineer to organise the required co-ordination, consultation, planning approvals and construction of the various sections of work discussed in this report.

Written by:	Acting Senior Engineer

Approved by:	Director of Transport

Endorsed by:	Director of Engineering and Infrastructure

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