Removal of central road line aims to cut speeds

A parish constable has backed efforts to slow down drivers by removing the centre white line on a Jersey road.

The Government of Jersey said it removed the white line on Route de Noirmont, St Brelade, as part of a six-month trial to see if it encouraged road users to reduce their speed.

Constable Mike Jackson said the majority of parishioners he had spoken to had backed the trial.

Minister for Infrastructure Constable Andy Jehan said the trial was aimed at reducing accidents.

He said there had been "quite a lot of support" for not reinstating the markings once the trial had finished once the trial has finished.

"I've had some feedback from one or two residents who are concerned that the white line isn't there and that a danger is being created but others are very supportive of the issue and getting used to it," he said.

However, Jean Baird, who lives on Route de Noirmont, raised concerns about the removal of the line.

"They go along the middle of the road faster and we have great difficulty trying to ease out of our entrance," she said.

"They think they can go down the middle of the road and just bomb down there.

"There's been quite a few near misses and I can just see an accident waiting to happen."

Jehan said the white line had been removed from a road in St John and it had it was showing success in reducing speeds and accidents.

"We are doing it for a reason, we want to reduce the amount of collisions on the island and this is part of that process," he said.

"We would urge anybody using the road whether they're driving cycling or walking to pay attention because we have far too many accidents in Jersey.

"We're monitoring the speed periodically and are hopeful that the speed is going to reduce."

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