Questions that must be asked

Questions that must be asked

From Melvyn Birch.

I AM a retired employee of the Emergency Services with 35 years’ experience. In the early stages of the Bel Royal roadworks I wrote a letter to the JEP (JEP, 2 May) and sent a copy to the minister in charge expressing my view that the changes were a mistake; the Emergency Services could not have been consulted and the narrowing to one lane would increase the risks to pedestrians, motorists and the emergency services.

After questions in the States the minister has now acknowledged that the emergency services were not consulted.

The Ambulance Service spokesmen in the JEP stated: ‘The bottleneck at Bel Royal does cause problems for us. Vehicles will now have to mount the pavement, and this is not a satisfactory solution, especially if there are pedestrians on the pavement’.

The Fire Service spokesmen stated in the JEP: ‘We spotted the problem and raised our concerns and these have been addressed.’

He cannot be one of the drivers who have to mount the kerb in a nine-tonne fire appliance to get past stationary vehicles.

A great deal of money has been wasted on some of these changes. Will one of our elected members ask the following in the States?

lWhat date did the minister discover that the emergency services had not been consulted about the changes?

lWhen he did find out, why did he not call a halt to the changes to the road narrowing?

lWhy are no procedures in place at his department to consult the emergency services before major changes are made to road lay-outs?

lWhat is going to he done to overcome the problems the emergency services are now going to have proceeding through this junction at busy times?

5 Belvedere Drive, St Saviour.

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