Busy Road To Close For One-Year Trial

A busy Jersey road will close to vehicles for a year from tomorrow, to encourage more pupils to walk to school.

The decision to shut Rue de Maupertuis has been made by the Parish of St Clement with assistance of the Growth, Housing and Environment department.

The impact of the closure will be monitored to see whether it should become permanent.

Access to premises on the road will be maintained.

Parish Constable Len Norman says residents have raised concerns about the road's safety many times before.

"It is a very narrow lane and its wiggly. There's some blind corners, it's not the most conducive road to have pedestrians and motor vehicles together.

"It isn't right that these pupils walking and cycling have to compete for space with drivers using the narrow lane as short cut.

"We'll see how it goes."

It's part of the Safer Routes to School Programme, which aims to create safer ways for pedestrians and cyclists, using busy roads to travel to and from school.

Senior Transport Planner, Rob Hayward, says it should be of benefit to school-goers.

"We have liaised with the schools and anticipate that the closure will have a minimal impact on motorists but a positive impact for students, who should be able to feel safe when travelling to school."