Government to create 16 new disabled parking spaces following criticism
The Jersey government has announced plans to introduce 16 new disabled parking spaces in St Helier after facing criticism over the lack of accessible parking for disabled residents. The move comes after concerns were raised by former Deputy Jackie Hilton-Egre, who is also a Blue Badge holder, and other members of the community.
Hilton-Egre wrote to Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan expressing her disappointment over the lack of action to address parking and accessibility issues discussed during a public meeting with Blue Badge holders in June. With around 5,000 Blue Badge holders in Jersey but only 100 dedicated parking spaces, many have found it difficult to park close to essential amenities.
Dee Michoux, a local Blue Badge holder, shared her frustration: “With the town becoming a one-way system, it’s not making it any easier for us disabled people. We’re pretty much treated as second-class citizens. Moving spaces from Broad Street to Harreck Street only means we have to walk further, which defeats the purpose of accessible parking.”
In response to the public outcry, Minister Jehan said he had conducted a walk-through of St Helier with Constable Simon Crowcroft in September and identified areas that could be converted into Blue Badge parking spaces. He confirmed the creation of 16 new spaces in St Helier and announced a pilot project to introduce new road markings to make disabled bays more identifiable.
“We will soon be contacting all Blue Badge holders to confirm the new locations and are also looking to establish a focus group to gather further feedback,” stated Jehan.
The initiative is expected to improve accessibility for the island’s disabled community and address longstanding concerns over the limited availability of designated parking spaces.