Roads in Jersey

Victoria Avenue is the longest dual carriageway in Jersey. It links St Helier to Bel Royal.

Road transport is the primary form of both private and public transport in Jersey. The island, which is the largest of the Channel Islands has 124,737 registered vehicles (2016). The island is committed to combatting climate change, having declared a climate emergency, and policy is focused on reducing dependence on the car. The island has a cycle network and bus service. The primary modes of transport for leaving the island are by air or sea.

Highways

Road names in Jersey are generally in French

A green lane sign

Vehicles in Jersey drive on the left side of the road. The island has a default speed limit of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) with slower limits on certain stretches of road, such as 20/30 mph (32/48 km/h) in built up areas and 15 mph (24 km/h) on roads designated as green lanes.

The island is home to longest dual carriageway in the Channel Islands, consisting of Victoria Avenue (A2), and the Esplanade/Route de la Liberation (A1). Roads in Jersey are often named in French or Jèrriais, except in St Helier, where they are often named in English.

Public highways are state-owned and managed by public highways authorities. Main roads are maintained by the Government of Jersey and funded through general taxation. By-roads (chemins vinciaux) are managed by the relevant parish through a Roads Committee. Roads Inspectors are elected to report on roads in their vingtaine.

Roads in Jersey are classified using two systems. The first is the signposted system for classifying main roads, consisting of an "A", "B" and "C" system as used in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. These are often signed on directional signs, however some are inaccurate.

The second is a system used privately by the Government of Jersey to classify both main roads and by-roads. The system consists of Class 1, 2 and 3 roads (main roads) and Class 4 roads (by-roads). Class 1 roads include Victoria Avenue.

A Visite du Branchage is an inspection of roads to ensure property owners have complied with the laws against vegetation encroaching on the highway.

History

Until the 19th century, Jersey's highway system were narrow and muddy tracks connecting homes and fields to the churches, mills and beaches. Around the turn of the 18th century, the number of roads are described as "[holding] no Proportion with the Bigness [of the island]". The sides of the road, unlike in England had "great Bulwarks of Earth ... from 6 to 8, and sometimes 10 Foot high". At the time there were three types of road: Les Chemins du Roi, which, including the banks, were 16 feet wide; Les Chemins de 8 pieds, which were 12 feet wide; and Les Chemins de 4 pieds, which served only carriages on horseback.

In the early 19th century, the military roads were constructed (on occasion at gunpoint in the face of opposition from landowners) by the governor, General George Don, to link coastal fortifications with St. Helier harbour. These had an unexpected effect on agriculture once peace restored reliable trade links. Farmers in previously isolated valleys were able to swiftly transport crops grown in the island's microclimate to waiting ships and then on to the markets of London and Paris ahead of the competition. In conjunction with the later introduction of steamships and the development of the French and British railway systems, Jersey's agriculture was no longer as isolated as before.

A-roads

La Route du Fort in St Helier is the main route to the east of the island

Number	Length (mi)	Length (km)	Southern or western terminus	Northern or eastern terminus	Formed	Removed	Notes
A1	—	—	St Helier	St Aubin	—	—	La Route de la Liberation, Esplanade, La Route de Saint Aubin, La Route de la Haule
A2	—	—	St Helier	Bel Royal	—	—	Victoria Avenue
A3	—	—	St Helier	Gorey	—	—	Don Road, Georgetown Road, Bagot Road, Longueville Road, La Rue à Don
A4	—	—	St Clement	Gorey	—	—	coast road
A5	—	—	St Clement	Gorey	—	—	inner road
A6	—	—	St Helier	St Martin	—	—	Mont Millais, Bagatelle Road, La Grande Route de Saint Martin
A7	—	—	St Helier	St Saviour	—	—	La Motte Street, St Saviour's Road, St Saviour's Hill
A8	—	—	St Helier	Trinity	—	—	Trinity Road, Le Mont de la Trinité, La Route de la Trinité, La Rue des Croix, La Route d'Ebenezer
A9	—	—	St Helier	St John	—	—	Queens Road, La Grande Route de Saint Jean, La Route des Issues
A10	—	—	St Lawrence main road		—	—	La Grande Route de Saint Laurent
A11	—	—	St Peter's valley road		—	—	La Vallée de Saint Pierre
A12	—	—	Beaumont	St Ouen	—	—	La Route de Beaumont, La Grande Route de Saint Pierre, La Grande Route de Saint Ouen
A13	—	—	St Aubin	Red Houses	—	—	La Mont les Vaux, La Grande Route de Saint Brelade, La Route des Genets, La Route Orange
A14	—	—	Rouge Bouillon		—	—
A15	—	—	St Clement's Road		—	—
A16	—	—	Commercial Buildings		—	—
A17	—	—	La Route du Fort		—	—

Driving laws

Jersey vehicle number plate

Driving laws in Jersey are the United Kingdom Highway Code, supplemented by the Jersey Highway Code.

Visitors wishing to drive must possess a Certificate of Insurance or an International Green Card, a valid Driving Licence or International Driving Permit (UK International Driving Permits are not valid). Photocopies are not acceptable. A nationality plate must be displayed on the back of visiting vehicles.

It is an offence to hold a mobile phone whilst driving a moving vehicle. It is not an offence to use a hands-free system. Where fitted, all passengers inside a vehicle must wear a seat belt at all times, regardless of whether they are sitting in the front or the rear.

Drink-driving is illegal in Jersey. Police use breathalyser tests during spot checks and a person is guilty if there is over 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 ml breath.

The penalties for drinking and driving in Jersey are up to £2,000 fine or six months in prison for the first offence plus unlimited disqualification of driving licence. It is an offence to drive whilst under the influence of drugs. Since July 2014 it has also been illegal to smoke in any vehicle carrying passengers under the age of 18.

Traffic calming

Over the years, a number of traffic calming schemes have been introduced around the island to get motorists to slow down. In 2016, a report in the JEP outlined a number of traffic calming schemes that were under consideration around the island.

Parish (in Jèrriais)	Traffic calming details
Saint Helier (Saint Hélyi)	All roads inside of the ring road have the speed limit set at 20 mph.
Grouville (Grouville)	There is a 20 mph zone in Gorey Village and near Grouville school. Furthermore, the Grouville Coast road was reduced
Saint Brelade (Saint Brélade)	In 2018, a review of all parish speed limits was conducted and most of the parish roads were reduced to 20 mph. There are 20 mph limits in the residential estates in the parish.
Saint Clement (Saint Cliément)	The Constable had tried to introduce a 20 mph limit outside the parish church but this did not succeed.
Saint John (Saint Jean)	A "french-style" traffic calming with a speed camera at each end of the village which is linked to a zebra crossing. If a car is speeding, the crossing would change to a red light. The Constable is opposed to 20 mph zones.
Saint Lawrence (Saint Louothains)
Saint Martin (Saint Martîn)	A number of speed limit reductions were being considered, including a 20 mph zone outside the school and along the Gorey Coast Road.
Saint Mary (Sainte Mathie)	Roads around Grève de Lecq may be changed to 20 mph zones.
Saint Ouen (Saint Ouën)	As of 2016, Speed limits will remain "as they are".
Saint Peter (Saint Pièrre)	There is a 20 mph zone in the village centre.
Saint Saviour (Saint Saûveux)	New one-way schemes were considered including Les Varines and Rue de Beauvoir, including a new footpath along Les Varines.
Trinity (La Trinneté)	A 20 mph speed limit may be introduced in the village centre along Rue ès Picots.

Parking

Public parking in Jersey is controlled by time restrictions and payment.

A single-yellow line along the side of the carriageway indicates a "No waiting" restriction. There are no double-yellow lines in Jersey. Parking on yellow lines is liable to a fine.

Some on-street and off-street parking is paid parking. Payments operate using either Paycards or PayByPhone and is indicated with the Paycard Symbol. Paycards are a form of voucher payment. Paycards are purchased from various stores around the island and can be used by scratching the time of arrival on the relevant number of units.

Certain car parks, such as the Waterfront, Sand Street and Ports of Jersey Car Parks use automatic number plate recognition or ticket technology with a pay upon exit system.

Some parking is free to use, however, the parking is time-restricted and a Jersey parking disc must be displayed showing time of arrival.

There are four main residents’ and business parking zones within St Helier.

External links

• Jersey on SABRE Road Wiki