Transport in
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...
is primarily through the motor vehicle. The island, which is the largest of the
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...
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.
Road transport
Road transport is the primary form of both private and public transport in Jersey.
Highways
![Rue_de_la_Pouclée_et_des_Quatre_Chemins,_Jersey](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Rue_de_la_Poucl%C3%A9e_et_des_Quatre_Chemins%2C_Jersey.jpg)
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
, image =
, caption=Logos of the Government of Jersey in English and Jèrriais
, date =
, state = Jersey
, address = 19-21 Broad Street, Saint Helier
, appointed = Chief Minister, with approva ...
and funded through general taxation. By-roads (''chemins vinciaux'') are managed by the relevant parish through a
Roads Committee
In Jersey, the Roads Committee (French: ''Comité des Chemins'') is the highway authority for Parish roads in each Parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish i ...
.
Roads Inspector
A ''Roads Inspector'' ( Jèrriais: ''L's Înspecteurs des C'mîns'' ; French: ''Inspecteur des chemins'') is a statutory office in Jersey responsible for the maintenance of public highways.
The Parish Assembly elects two Roads Inspectors for eac ...
s are elected to report on roads in their
vingtaine
A vingtaine (literally "group of twenty" in French) is a political subdivision of Jersey. They are subdivisions of the various parishes of Jersey, and one, La Vingtaine de la Ville (The Vingtaine of the town), in Saint Helier is further divided ...
.
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
A Visite du Branchage is an inspection of roads in Jersey and Guernsey to ensure property owners have complied with the laws against vegetation encroaching onto the road.
Jersey
The Visite du Branchage takes place in each parish twice a year ...
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 "
olding
The third season of ''The Crown'' follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It consists of ten episodes and was released by Netflix on 17 November 2019.
Olivia Colman stars as Elizabeth, along with main cast members Tobias Menzies, He ...
no Proportion with the Bigness
f 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: , which, including the banks, were 16 feet wide; , which were 12 feet wide; and , 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
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...
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
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
systems, Jersey's agriculture was no longer as isolated as before.
A-roads
![A17 road in Jersey](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/A17_road_in_Jersey.jpg)
*
A1 St Helier to
St Aubin road: La Route de la Liberation, Esplanade, La Route de Saint Aubin, La Route de la Haule
*
A2 St Helier to
Bel Royal road: Victoria Avenue
*
A3 St Helier to
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
road: Don Road, Georgetown Road, Bagot Road, Longueville Road, La Rue à Don
*
A4 St Clement to Gorey coast road
*
A5 St Clement to Gorey inner road
*
A6 St Helier to
St Martin road: Mont Millais, Bagatelle Road, La Grande Route de Saint Martin
*
A7 St Helier to
St Saviour road: La Motte Street, St Saviour's Road, St Saviour's Hill
*
A8 St Helier to
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
road: Trinity Road, Le Mont de la Trinité, La Route de la Trinité, La Rue des Croix, La Route d'Ebenezer
*
A9 St Helier to
St John road: Queens Road, La Grande Route de Saint Jean, La Route des Issues
*
A10 St Lawrence
Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...
main road: La Grande Route de Saint Laurent
*
A11 St Peter's valley road: La Vallée de Saint Pierre
*
A12 Beaumont to
St Ouen road: La Route de Beaumont, La Grande Route de Saint Pierre, La Grande Route de Saint Ouen
*
A13 St Aubin to
Red Houses road: 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
![License plate of Jersey](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/License_plate_of_Jersey.jpg)
Driving laws in Jersey are the United Kingdom
Highway Code
''The Highway Code'' is a set of information, advice, guides and mandatory rules for road users in the United Kingdom. Its objective is to promote road safety. The ''Highway Code'' applies to all road users including pedestrians, horse riders ...
, 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 6 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.
Car sharing
Jersey has a shared electric car operator, EVie, that provides islandwide self-service electric car hire.
Cycling
Jersey has infrastructure dedicated to cyclists. Cycle infrastructure has been improving in the previous decade under the Sustainable Transport Policy.
The best developed cycle route is the route from St Helier to Corbière. The route consists of segregated cycle paths and shared pedestrian-cycle paths, including the St Aubin's Bay promenade and the Railway Walk. The connection from West Park to Havre des Pas was completed an upgraded after a ministerial decision in 2011. A branch of this route connects to
St Peter's Village via Les Quennevais.
There is a segregated cycle-pedestrian path along St Peter's Valley, which connects pedestrians and cyclists from the green lane network in
St Mary to roads near the St Aubin's Bay Promenade cycle route. It was opened in 2016.
Jersey has a network of signposted cycle routes. There are fifteen routes in total, such as route 1, which forms a loop around the island. Most of the routes are on quieter lanes and dedicated paths, however some of these routes are on busy main road with no dedicated infrastructure.
The Eastern Cycle Route network is a proposed network of cycle-safe routes in the eastern parishes of St Clement and Grouville. The first section from Gorey to La Ville-ès-Renauds in Grouville was opened in 2011.
There is a dedicated network of Green Lanes across the island, which have a 15 mph speed limit and where priority is afforded to cyclists.
Jersey has a shared electric bike operator
EVie that provides islandwide self-service electric bike hire.
Companies
EVie
Buses
![LibertyBus in Jersey](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/LibertyBus_in_Jersey.JPG)
Buses started running on the island in the 1920s, and by the 1930s, competition from motor buses had rendered the railways unprofitable, with final closure coming in 1935 after a fire disaster (except for the later German reintroduction of rail during the military occupation).
Buses are operated by CT Plus Jersey, a local subsidiary of
HCT Group. Bus service routes radiate from the Liberation Station in St Helier.
In 2012, it was announced that
CT Plus would take over the operation of the bus service, commencing on 2 January 2013, ending 10 years of Connex service in Jersey. This new service is called
LibertyBus.
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 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.
Air transport
There is a single airport on the island,
Jersey Airport
Jersey Airport is an international airport located in the parish of Saint Peter, west northwest of Saint Helier in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
History
Air service to Jersey before 1937 consisted of biplane airliners and some seaplanes la ...
, located in St Peter. It has one runway and one terminal building and has direct flights throughout the year to many United Kingdom and International destinations, including nine daily flights to
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
Before the present airport opened in 1937, air transport was through seaplanes, which landed at West Park in St Helier. The first aeroplane to land in Jersey was the Sanchez Besa in August 1912. The first passenger flight was recorded as taking place 147 years earlier through air balloon.
Rail transport
![Jersey Railway map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Jersey_Railway_map.png)
Historically there were public
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
services in the island, provided by two railway companies:
*The
Jersey Railway
The Jersey Railway was opened in 1870 and was originally a standard gauge railway, long, in Jersey in the Channel Islands. Converted to narrow gauge in 1884 and extended giving a length of , the line closed in 1936. It is not to be confused ...
(closed in 1936)
*The
Jersey Eastern Railway (closed in 1929).
The mostly coastal lines operated out of St Helier and ran across the southern part of the island, reaching
Gorey Harbour in the east and
la Corbière in the west. There were two stations in St Helier: (JR) and (JER).
After closure, most of the infrastructure was removed and today little evidence remains of these railways. A small number of former station buildings are still standing, including St Helier Weighbridge, which is now in use as the
Liberty Wharf shopping centre, and
St Aubin railway station, which is used today as the Parish Hall of
Saint Brélade
St. Brelade (French: ''Saint Brélade'') is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is around west of St Helier. Its population was 10,568 as of 2011.
The parish is the second-largest parish by surface area, covering 7 ...
. Part of the former Jersey Railway line from St Aubin to Corbière has been converted into a
rail trail for cyclists and walkers.
During the
German military occupation 1940–1945, light railways were re-established by the Germans for the purpose of supplying coastal fortifications. A one-metre gauge line was laid down following the route of the former Jersey Railway from Saint Helier to
La Corbière, with a branch line connecting the stone quarry at Ronez in
Saint John. A 60 cm line ran along the west coast, and another was laid out heading east from Saint Helier to
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
. The first line was opened in July 1942, the ceremony being disrupted by passively resisting Jersey spectators. The German railway infrastructure was dismantled after the Liberation in 1945.
Two railways operate at the
Pallot Heritage Steam Museum; a standard gauge heritage steam railway, and a narrow gauge pleasure line operated by steam-outline diesel motive power.
Sea transport
History
An important growth for St Helier in the early 19th century was the construction of the harbour. Previously, ships coming into the town had only a small jetty at the site now called the English Harbour and the French Harbour. The Chamber of Commerce urged the States to build a new harbour, but the States refused, so the Chamber took it into their own hands and repaired and upgraded the harbour in 1790. A new breakwater was constructed to shelter the jetty and harbours. In 1814, the merchants constructed the roads now known as Commercial Buildings and Le Quai des Marchands to connect the harbours to the town and in 1832 construction was finished on the Esplanade and its sea wall. A rapid expansion in shipping led the States in 1837 to order the construction of two new piers: the Victoria and Albert Piers.
Seaports and harbours
Saint Helier
St Helier (; Jèrriais: ; french: Saint-Hélier) is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St Helier has a population of 35,822 – over one-third of the total population of Jersey – ...
is the island's main port, others include
Gorey
Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''.
As a growi ...
,
Saint Aubin,
La Rocque, and
Bonne Nuit. It is distant from
Granville, Manche
Granville (; Norman: ''Graunville'') is a commune in the Manche department and region of Normandy, northwestern France. The chef-lieu of the canton of Granville and seat of the ', it is a seaside resort and health resort of Mont Saint-Michel Ba ...
, from
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
, from
Poole, and from
St Malo
Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast.
The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Alli ...
.
On 20 August 2013,
Huelin-Renouf, which had operated a "lift-on lift-off" container service for 80 years between the
Port of Southampton
The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. The port has been owned and op ...
and the Port of
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...
, ceased trading. Senator
Alan Maclean, a Jersey politician had previously tried to save the 90-odd jobs furnished by the company to no avail. On 20 September, it was announced that
Channel Island Lines
Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to:
Geography
* Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water.
Australia
* Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...
would continue this service, and would purchase the MV ''
Huelin Dispatch'' from
Associated British Ports who in turn had purchased them from the receiver in the bankruptcy.
The new operator was to be funded by
Rockayne Limited, a closely held association of Jersey businesspeople.
[ Channel Island Lines closed in 2020.]
Passenger-only access to France is provided by Manche-Iles Express ferry service, to either Barneville-Carteret, Granville or Dielette
Flamanville () is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France.
Port
The port of Flamanville, in the northern part of the commune, is known as Diélette. During the summer a high-speed passenger ferry is operated from there to ...
.
A service to St Malo
Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast.
The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Alli ...
was provided by Compagnie Corsaire, but is now operated by its sister service, Condor Ferries
Condor Ferries is an operator of passenger and freight ferry services between The United Kingdom, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Bailiwick of Jersey and France.
Corporate history
Condor Ferries established the first high-speed car ferry service to ...
, which runs ''MV Commodore Goodwill
MV may refer to:
Businesses and organizations In transportation
* Motor vessel, a motorized ship; used as a prefix for ship names
* MV Agusta, a motorcycle manufacturer based in Cascina Costa, Italy
* Armenian International Airways (IATA code MV) ...
'', a large ro-ro
Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using ...
vessel to Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
, and has multiple ro-ro connections to Poole and St Malo
Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast.
The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Alli ...
.
* Poole - Guernsey - Jersey (seasonal service normally operated by ''Condor Liberation'')
*Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
- Guernsey - Jersey (''Commodore Clipper'', ''Commodore Goodwill''. ''Commodore Goodwill'' service is extended to St Malo at the weekends)
*Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast.
The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Alli ...
- Jersey - Guernsey (''Condor Rapide'')
Companies
*Condor Ferries
Condor Ferries is an operator of passenger and freight ferry services between The United Kingdom, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Bailiwick of Jersey and France.
Corporate history
Condor Ferries established the first high-speed car ferry service to ...
freight and passenger services: ''Commodore Goodwill''.
Manche Îles Express
See also
* Bailiwick of Jersey
* List of shipwrecks in the Channel Islands
The list of shipwrecks in the Channel Islands lists some of the ships that wrecked on or sank in the waters of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey. The list includes ships that sustained a damaged hull, which were later reflo ...
References
External links
Jersey on SABRE Road Wiki
{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Jersey
Ports and harbours of Jersey
.Jersey
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...