Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Amendment No. 3 (Jersey) Order 2008.

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A decision made (15/08/2008) regarding: Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Amendment No. 3 (Jersey) Order 2008.

Decision Reference: MD-T-2008-0074
Decision Summary Title :	Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Amendment No.3 (Jersey) Order 2008		Date of Decision Summary:	12 August 2008
Decision Summary Author:	David St George, Manager – Transport Policy		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title :	Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Amendment No.3 (Jersey) Order 2008		Date of Written Report:	12 August 2008
Written Report Author:	David St George, Manager – Transport Policy		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: To amend a Road Traffic Order to introduce part time 20 mph speed limits at schools and temporary speed limits at road works.
Decision(s): The Minister approved, signed and sealed the attached Order Amendment.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Order amends the Road Traffic Speed Limits (Jersey) Order 2003 to enable part time 20 mph speed limits to be introduced at schools and temporary speed limits to be introduced at road works.
Resource Implications: The implementation of part time speed limits at schools will cost money, dependant on the site, which is not available in the Department’s budgets. However, the Minister will shortly be asked to consider the use of the Community Safety Grants Fund to provide the necessary resources to progress this initiative.
Action required: Minister to sign and seal the Order. TTS to send the hard copy of the Order to the Publications Editor at the States Greffe as soon as it has been signed. Advise the Connétables of this decision and that they will be consulted prior to a limit being implemented.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Amendment No. 3 (Jersey) Order 2008.

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Amendment No.3 (Jersey) Order 2008

Purpose of the Report

The attached amendment to the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (Jersey) Order 2003 will enable part time 20 mph speed limits to be introduced at schools and temporary speed limits to be introduced at road works.

Background

The States approved the Environment and Public Services Committee’s proposed speed limits policy on March 15th 2005. The policy included that 20 miles per hour speed limits would be appropriate in areas outside schools, signed electronically to apply only at school times.

The former Public Services Committee in 1998, under the Presidency of Senator Tomes, had also approved a proposal to enable legally enforceable temporary speed limits to be introduced at road works. The Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956 was subsequently amended to enable Orders to be made covering the use of part time speed limits and this Order amendment empowers the Minister to apply temporary mandatory speed limits at road works.

Discussion

The issue of speed limits in Jersey has been the subject of a significant level of consultation and debate. Many issues have been contentious but the proposal for electronically signed mandatory part time 20 mph speed limits at schools has been welcomed by all. The electronic signs will flash when children are expected to use the road (normally at school opening and closing times but could also be at evening events) so drawing motorists’ attention to the need to slow down. The two most common reasons for non compliance with a speed limit are failure to observe the signing of the lower limit and failure to respect the need for the lower limit. The use of flashing electronic signs at appropriate times should overcome both of these issues. Part time limits at particular schools would be provided after consultation with the relevant Connétable and school.

The use of lower speed limits at road works will improve the safety of operatives who need to work in close proximity to passing traffic and may enable a road to remain open to traffic which would otherwise need to be closed during the works. The particular speed limit is not specified in the Order as it would be determined on an individual site by site basis. Temporary speed limits at road works would be considered and, if appropriate, approved by a senior officer of TTS under the Minster’s delegated authority, after consultation with the Connétable of the Parish.

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve and sign the attached Order Amendment.

Reason(s) for Decision

To enable part time mandatory speed limits to be applied at schools and at road works in order to improve road safety.

Resource Implications

The implementation of part time speed limits at schools will cost money, dependant on the site, which is not available in the Department’s budgets. However, the Minister will shortly be asked to consider the use of the Community Safety Grants Fund to provide the necessary resources to progress this initiative.

Action Required

Minister to sign and seal the attached Order.
TTS to send the hard copy of the Order to the Publications Editor at the States Greffe as soon as it has been signed.
Advise the Connétables of this decision and that they will be consulted prior to a limit being implemented.

Written by:	David St George, Manager - Transport Policy
Approved by:	Caroline Anderson, Director - Transport

Attachments: Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (Amendment No.3) (Jersey) Order 2008

12 August 2008

I:\Minister\2008\Ministerial Decisions\MD 0074 Road Traffic Speed Limits Amdment No 3\WR RoadTrafficAmendmentNo3 080731 DStG-PAF.doc