Ali and steph
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO US WHERE THE BRIDGE WILL TAKE US AND WHY THE HECK WE NEED IT????

lauren
i think it is a good idea beccuse it will be something new

sam st.clements
look most of us said no to the bridge so stand up for jersey and put to something that we need like affored new houses for frimliy

amanda .s. st.clements
i think its cool but we could spend it on improving schools and making more jobs for jersey at the end of the day what would you really want for jersey jobs or a design bidge?? jerey look dont deign a bidge your wating your money on it.

C, St. John
The states have more than enough money to build a bridge, however, considering we already have a bright yellow, hideous building, a cinema complex that looks like a plastic box and a steam clock ruining the landscape perhaps they could come up with a better idea which shelters people from the rain and which drunken youths wont be able to jump on and throw things from.

Alice, Cornwall
I live in Cornwall and many of the issues discussed here are echoed in my area. We too are a tourist area with development problems. I would be interested if anyone can report any details of quality coastal property developments (eg luxury apartments)which have failed on Jersey, how they failed and why you think they didn't work.

Sarah
I must admit to liking the design of the bridge very much but I cannot agree to another £2.5 million (plus the same again, no doubt, at the end of the day!) being spent with the Island in the current financial state that we are told it is.

In a few years time, when hopefully the Waterfront area is finished and the Island is in a better financial situation, the plan can be reintroduced if it is felt necessary at that point in time.

I cannot believe that Maurice Dubras wants yet more consultation about this plan. In the face of all the oposition (does he not look at this web page?) and the polls that have been carried out, why can he not just accept what the majority of people want and move on to something else?! Or can he not think of anything else to form a new committee about at the moment?

The politicians of Jersey might find that more people turned out to vote for them if they actually listened to what we all really think once they're in the States and acted on this information rather than reacting to what they THINK we want once they're in Government!

pete
I think the whole waterfront development is a waste of money,let alone a bridge!

It is also polluting the atmosphere of the habour area.This amount of money could be spent on decent housing for decent people.

Lets face it only the well off can afford this sort of housing,if only to pose.

Andy
Isn't it interesting how the original (very limited) public consultation revealed a wish for some kind of bridge(s), and yet WEB went about it entirely the wrong way with a design competition that ignored costs.

A simple bridge for a fraction of 2.5 million would probably have been acceptable. We could have had something perfectly functional for the cost of this whole futile exercise.

I bet they didn't poll people as to whether a cheaper bridge would be acceptable - if not, why not?

June, St. Lawrence
Looking at the latest comments on your website re the waterfront bridge, the same question arises. Why not improve the exisitng underpass?

This could be done by making it pedestrians only and signposting its whereaabouts.

Can we get an answer from the authorities as to why they want to block this off when the site is built on.

It is just a short walk from the Sand Street car park. and could easily be accessed even with buildings on the site.

Sarah Ferguson
I have yet to find anyone who has been contacted by NOP. Is there someone who can confirm that they have called anyone in the Island?

e palmer
Having a bridge to the waterfront is a stupid idea. what's with everyone being so lazy?

me
dont be silly its a waste of money and time

Julie
Do the States' Members know how little faith people have in their 'public consultation process'? If only to restore some faith in our representatives they should halt the bridge plans, debate and spending until our economy improves. Our States forget that 'they' have no money - it's our money that they're wasting!

Paul, St Peter
Whilst involved in some work on the waterfront some years ago I was fortunate enough to read the Andrews Downey report. Whatever Mr Scally might think about the shortcomings of the report, the overall scheme was a much more cohesive plan for the area than the generally half-baked plan we've ended up with.

Firstly, it is important to appreciate that the underpass (or something similar) was necessary to alleviate traffic flows. The geography of St Helier means that this East-West main road can go nowhere else. However, the underpass was not originally considered in isolation. Regarding pedestrian access to the area, the Andrews Downey plan envisaged several crossing points of the main road. These included the much criticised 'ampitheatre', a bridge formed from continuing the granite sea wall of the Albert pier over the road and a bridge more or less in the currently proposed position.

By ignoring the need for pedestrian access we have created an isolated area of town 'fenced in' by a huge bypass. This was never the plan.

The waterfront still needs several points of easy pedestrian access for it's long term future. For this reason I believe we need the proposed bridge as well as the second bridge froom the abbatoir site. It is just a shame they weren't worked in to the area in the first place, an error that will cost us now.

However, in WEB's defense a lot of this has been due to interference from various politicians who come and go and whose areas of interest, responsibility and inclination to shout and interfere change like the wind. This is why WEB was set up in the first place.

The development of the waterfront is still in it's early stages. Granted the content so far would not have been everyones first choice, but it is easy to criticise. Let us wait and see how it turns out, contrary to our well established local cynicism it might actually all be fine!

Andy
It looks like they've already decided to go ahead with the bridge - a section of hedge has been cut down on one side of the road in what looks like the right spot!

Sam in S.T. Lawrence
We do not need a Bridge The money for the Bridge should be use for the elderly

Anne Trinity
What about a mono rail. It would certainly cut down the traffic and be a great tourist attraction. I really dont think we need a bridge.Ti

Dave St Saviour
The cost of £2.5million is for the bridge only - the approach ramps on both sides would be a separate contract, possibly another £1million, bringing the price to actually use the bridge to £3.5million. Will land be sold to maintain this bridge until all the land is in private ownership? This bridge is not needed as there is a perfectly good underpass from the car park already in place, which arrives much closer to the main facilities on the Waterfront.

Andy
If they'd done the 5000 pounds phone survey FIRST, they'd have saved the 40 grand they've wasted on the design competition and scale model. Plus, if they'd estimated the costs of all the entrants, we might have found a bridge for a fraction of the 2.5 million more acceptable. Pathetic mismanagement.

Pete, St Helier
...one more thing! I attended the opening night at Liquid nightclub, which was quite literally mobbed with people, inside and out. There were no problems for pedestrians or traffic on that night, apart from insufficient taxi set down points near the nightclub entrance. If anyone has ever been down the waterfront at night recently, they will note that it is virtually deserted, especially midweek - the new tea shop and pool will not turn this situation around - there will never be hordes of people to use a bridge! WEB - learn from your failures. Why wasn't the cinema, which by necessity needs to be dark inside (and it is, even in the foyer) built underground, or semi underground. You have failed the public of Jersey massively with this monstrous cinema and you are trying to repeat the mistake with an unnecessary bridge. Read this board and listen to the polls - the majority do not want the bridge!

Pete, St Helier
How soon would it be before some idiot throws a heavy object from the bridge onto the traffic below, killing a motorist? Or chooses the bridge as a high profile suicide location? A bridge like this seems like a 1960's town planning nightmare - there are hundreds of similar post-war bridges in industrial towns across the UK. This one migth have a glossy new design, but bridges like this, across 6 lane highways, all wreak of desolation and town planning that is bordering on the criminal. Use the existing perfectly adequate underpass, although a lick of paint down there wouldn't go amiss.

Adam, St. Lawrence
£2.5m? So I fact the actual cost will be more like 4-6 million. After all, all major public spending projects have over spent in recent years. Although a beautiful design, the waterfront is at the moment not worth the expenditure, that the bridge poses. Also where are the end points of this bridge going to be? If it's not in the middle of town it's not worth the bother, and likewise if there isn't enough access to it from the visiting marina.

Gordon - Grouville
Though I would not want to see the bridge which would spoil YET AGAIN some of the charm of Jersey. It really doesn't matter what we the voters think or even say, the presnent set up in the states means that the Politicians will do exactly what they want, not what the electorate want!

serena (13)
well i think that we should have a hospital instead of a bridge because there too many people in this island for the hospital to cope with! Just imagine if one day you seriously hurt your-self and all the people waiting infront of you it would be chaos that is all i have to say

Pat
Building a bridge will not make people use it to cross the road - they don't use simple crossings so how many are going to walk to a bridge? The design is more suitable for a site in America but not Jersey.

As other people have said, use the money raised to put towards much needed health, social and education issues but please don't waste it on a bridge. There is a perfectly good small underpass for vehicles and pedestrians from the car park so let people use that - perhaps more signs pointing it out would be a good idea. What is wrong with the planners and politicians in this island, they just seem to be making Jersey into just another UK town - St Helier has already been ruined and had its character taken away, please, please DON'T do any more to spoil what was once a very beautiful island.

Liz Voisin
Use existing underpass.

andy white
sell the land and put the money towards town park

John (Gorey)
The proposed bridge seems to follow the line of the existing subway. I wonder why this readymade alternative doesn't seem to receive favour.

Roger St Peters
I would judge from the reaction of most of the people of Jersey that they are not in favour of a bridge over the underpass. Why dont we spend the money on something that the people of Jersey do want for example a Town park!.

Richard
Let us have bridge and be proud of something unusual and interesting to look at and talk about!

Roberta, S.t Lawrence
I think that after a while of it being built( if it is to be built) it will be a target for vandals, i am 12 years of age and know that many kids that go to my school live around that area, and what about drug users?

Carl
Imagine the same wide pathway from the corner at Castle Street through to the center of the (as yet) undeveloped area, but instead of the bridge, a subway with the entrances slightly tarted up. See, no need to spend 2.5million! Plus, with the bridge one sees all the traffic and a six lane highway out of keeping with Jersey. Taking the subway you wouldn't even be aware of all that nastiness. Surely it's better to hide the road from visitors? They've come to a jewel in the Channel, a delightful island of charm, do they really want a space-age bridge over a motorway? Most visitors head quite correctly from the harbour terminals straight torwards the centuries old delights of the town center - a bridge may distract them off-course into a bland area of post-war Anytown UK.

Mike, St Brelade
If we HAVE £2.5 million available to spend on a bridge, which I seriously doubt, there are many, many more urgent priorities to use those funds - perhaps we could start with an intelligent look at our only other remaining industry, Tourism, and consider WHY numbers have dropped so much in the last few years! The statement by John Scally that the money will be raised by selling off land, and thus the Public of Jersey will not have to pay is erroneous - the land was ceded to the Waterfront Enterprise Board in the first instance by the States, and as such is still the property of the Island.

June, St. Lawrence
At last, a commonsense approach from the future developers of the Island site. They will include a bridge from there to the waterfront. This could be accessed from inside by stairs/lifts/escalators and save the hike up the outside steps and ramps of the other bridge. Also, keep the small underpass, there is no danger from layabouts in there as it is short and open. A caller to Radio Jersey on Friday was relating his experience when perched atop the central reservation, waiting for three lanes of traffic to pass near the bottom of Gloucester. What on earth was he doing crossing the road there in the first place? There are two crossings, one at the end of Gloucester Street on the left, and one opposite the Grand Hotel; both of which stop the traffice for pedestrians to cross safely. If people can't be bothered to walk a few yards to these will they ever make it to the foot of the bridge?

Paul St Helier
The States will continue to do whatever they want. It does not matter if you want a bridge or not the states are going to go ahead regardless. Also if they had not built such an appalling excuse for a waterfront, we would not need a bridge in the first place. Please stop destroying this lovely island and wasting money, put something back into the island, for future generations, rather trying to compete with the UK. This is just another nail in the coffin for Jersey

AM Bellows
As usual, the States have not "joined up" thinking (the current jargon) but "back to front" thinking. 1) Let us build an underpass; 2) now let us develop the waterfront. 3) oh dear, how can we get people to the waterfront with an underpass in the way!

Tamar Tomkins
I think we should have it because nearly every place with a water brige looks lovely and with out a brige it will be boring

Jenessa star vickers
i think that we should not have a brige because i think the money should go to charety and the poor people in africa so that they can have some clean water and some more food so they can survive

Aimee, St Saviour, 8 yrs old
I don't think we should have a bridge because all you need is a zebra crossing. It is a waste of money as well.

Amy, 9 years old
I think we should not have a brigde because why can't we just use the under pass.why would people want to spend so much money on a brigde what about when it is high winds.i think the money should go to charity.

Kirsty and Jade
I think the bridge is a waste of space and you could build a carpark and maybe another skatepark for the skaters.

Claudia
I think we should & shouldn't it looks nice but it might take up a lot of space well i dont care just do it.its up to u

jillian sheehan
the underpass is very adequate. Perhaps a well controlled pedestrian crossing opposite the Grand Hotel would give a large number of visitors access to the waterfront.

chris sheehan
No need for a bridge. Although the money would not come from States departments budgets, it could go to a States Department that is much more in need of funds.i.e Housing, health or a new swimming pool.

John, St. Martin
Like the design but will it get used. It appears to be in the wrong place as it leads to nowhere. Surely the crossing point should be in the Liberation Square area and lead towards the new housing/leisure pool. Has anyone surveyed the pedestrian traffic in the area to see where most people come from and go to?

Nigel St Helier
,We need this Bridge like another States Debate on Iraq. It seriously worries me about the calibre of our States members,and the damage they can cause.The reclamation site should have remained a open area park,for at least 10 years Instead of jumping in with two big feet and giving us things we don't need like a bridge etc etc etc

Jayne, California
This is just another example of how the states screw up, waste money and have basically no idea. What on earth do we need this ugly monstrosity for. It's not like it's going to attract more tourists? Maybe the old boys in the states think it will. I think the old boys need to retire! Thank god I live overseas. It breaks my heart to see whats happening to our beautiful island.

josh salv
i dont really care but i like cheese

Maureen
There is a link, a sort of underpass which leads from the car parks. I do not see a need for a bridge which would be closed more often than open because of winds. By all means sell the land and raise funds but put this money to good use. Health, Education or better still future pensions. We are given such spin in this island it is hard to know what to believe any more. No one I know even wanted a competition to see who would give the best bridge to a population who did not want it.

paul
it is allmost impossible to get pedestrians to walk 5 yards to use exiting crossings (provived at great expense around town) so why waste any more money on a bridge... an expensive skateboard park???

Archie, St Clement
AT this point in time, with all the other problems facing the island, I think it is a bridge too far.

Maureen, St. Saviour
We do not need a bridge, just another way of wasting money by the states, give the elderly their free T.V licences and better health care with the money.

Brian
Paul - if safe access is required (of course it is) what is wrong with the little underpass from the open-air carpark site?

Fiona Breen
Jersey has a too fragmented approach. We need to move away from bridges and consider the reality of Jersey's ever tightening purse strings and begin a holistic view to meet the immediate and very real needs of Jersey.

Paul - St Helier
I think that the bridge HAS to be built - and for the following reason. (Can I say that if we have a solid assurance that my point is not valid, I would of course reconsider) My point is that we (that is our political and administrative bodies) would be open to significant liabilty, in the event of injury or death, if we do not make available a safe access to the waterfront site. Like smoking being banned in the workplace, the driving force is the threat of litigation, rather than the real threat. Concerns have been expressed about safety in getting across the roads, we are now forced to go to any length to alleviate or mitigate those concerns.

Mac, St.Helier
This bridge won't help you much from the roadside anyway - you'll have to trudge a long way back to the start of the bridge before making a long crossing - no-one will bother. The traffic isn't continuous either, the nearby crossings interrupt the flow so it's not hard to cross anyway. If you're walking all the way from town through the present car park site you may as well use the existing underpass. The bridge would be conclusive evidence that our wonderful government have no idea how to manage public money.

Graeme, St John
We do not need a bridge we already have an underpass from the car park

Andy
Totally pointless. From Castle Street you might as well use the zebra crossings on the roundabout. If you really want a direct route to a bit further west, then the existing small underpass will do fine, or the crossings by Gloucester Street. It _IS_ public money no matter what WEB says (we all own WEB) and it simply isn't good enough to waste this amount when further taxation is still being threatened. With stuff like this going on, is it any wonder so many of us are tired of voting? It never seems to get us anywhere!

Kenny
once agin another states decision that attempts to consult with the islands population but realy the dominant order will always win. They have made their decision and are now fooling us, the public into beliveing that we make the choice, Bridge or no Bridge? its whatever 80 of 80.000 want!!!!!!!!!

George
why do we have to waste even more money on a bridge no one wants, there is a perfectly good underpass to the waterfront, install some better lighting and a coat of paint and there you have the answer. After all most people who use the waterfront at the moment access it via this underpass.

John
The bridge is supposed to be a 'landmark' construction but will we be able to see it? The artists impression shows it in splendid isolation however, once the adjacent sites are developed, just what will we see? From Fort Regent. heading west probably very little. In fact as we exit the underpass, we will be almost under it. From Castle Street or the sea front, only the pathway over it. In fact the only view we will have will be from Gloucester Street and even that will be limited I suspect. Hardly what I would regard as a 'landmark' construction.

Mark Newman
I suggest that the Island wakes up to the fact that it is falling apart at the seams. Tourism has failed. Finance is going down the pan. Affordable housing does not exist. People of Noddy Land wake up. Your Agriculture industry has gone down to 47 Farms and people that used to own these Farms and that are trying to change usage of their land/buildings are being prevented by doing so by the ignorance of States Committees. On this basis the Island should sink into the Sea. God help you all if you don't wake up.

Liz
Use the underpass

James, Trinity
Do they have a brain between them? Why don't they build luxury council flats on the Waterfront instead!!!

James, Trinity
Why don't they build a bizarre clock by the weighbridge, oh no, i forgot they've already done that!!! The States have no idea what they are doing, and in my opinion they have ruined this island, and will continue to do so!!!

Tony
I wonder how 80 people out of a population of over 80,000 can say we need one and the Waterfront Enterprise Board accepts their opinion when there is a perfectly adequate underpass and the latest pedestrian crossing with the new safety fllights around that location.

I know a large amount of people have given their views on the Waterfront, but I do feel that you have to see what the final outcome is before you complain about it and having worked in the Harbour area for nearly eleven years, I feel I have always worked on building site, but thought it the best for Jersey in the long run.

Jennifer
I agree with Elanor, there is no need for a bridge. People have been crossing roads around the waterfront area for years. It's not the hard especially when using a pedestrain crossing. Again it is another attempt to attract tourists at the publics expense. And you wonder why locals get annoyed at tourists?

Elanor
We do not need a bridge. There are a number of pedestrian crossings in the area, which have been sufficient till now.

Louise, St Lawrence
Hasn't somebdy missed the point here? While we are all arguing over wether there should be a bridge or not, on the thesis that it will create a link with the town centre taking those on the waterfront into the heart of St Helier and visa versa, everyone seems to have forgotten that at one time St Helier was on the water... but someone, in their wisdom decided to put a dual carriageway through the middle and severed the most important link there is for an Island community - the sea!

By the nature of being an island it is most naturally approached by water. Past and current development have done nothing to enhance and strengthen this fundemantal link.

You stand on the dock and survey your horizons, yet we have filled a prime waterfront site with inward looking buildings for inward looking activities.

This is further exacerbated by the highrise scale with very few vistas through. The low rise town that grew up because of it's relationship with the water can no longer see its generator and those approaching the island can no longer see St Helier.

This bridge is just another sticking plaster for a series of fundemental urban planning errors and it will not put the heart back into St Helier whatever it is dressed up as.

Bob
I do think we need some sort of route to get to the new complex. The zebra crossing at a busy junction just doesn't seem safe enough and I think an accident is just waiting to happen.

A bridge would be a good idea as along as it wasn't another States tasteless building. Really this should have been thought of when the underpass was build.

They should have made a underpass just for pedestrians! Well done the States of Jersey for yet another thought out plan.

Colin, St Peter
The entire waterfront needs a complete re-think. Its a total mess. The views of Islanders were never considered.

Why build a new marina and then leave its surroundings totally empty when the obvious thing to do was supply the infrastructure.

I tried the cinema there on Friday night - it can't have been more than 10% full to see Chicago.

The car park is so poorly designed, as you exit there is a blind bend on your right and the angle at which you exit makes it very difficult to see traffic coming past the exit - I was nearly hit.

Who designed the entrance - why can you not go straight in. It seems to me that it would be better to swap the enrance and the exit around - but then that's commen sense not something seen on the waterfront - certainly somewhere I will avoid from now its too dangerous.

Liz, St. Brelade
Since the cinema, restaurants and other attractions opened on the Waterfront, the public have managed to reach them unscathed withoput the use of a bridge.

I have not heard one complaint of anyone having difficulty in crossing the road, so presumably everyone is sensible and crosses at one of the many safe places already provided! Use the money to provide a decent-sized skateboard and BMX stunt park for all the youngsters.

Mark and Jenny , London
Our Great Aunt lives in St Martin, and we visit as often as we can. We think that a bridge would enhance the area, and all the kerfuffle about people dropping things onto cars below is rubbish.

On the mainland we have had bridges for some time, people dropping things onto cars is a very rare occurrence.

We think that the water front area has improved dramatically over the past 10 years and our children love to visit the water maze.

Yes, it would be good if the designer and builders were local, however, it would be better to have experienced people building the bridge rather than having the same fate as the "wobbly" millennium bridge in London (which had to be closed for some months while modification took place).

Geoffrey Falk
Go on have a bridge or use the underpass. With some more imagination a design with shops / resturants / cafe etc. with toilet facilities ( something sadle/badle missing in this area ) would solve the problem of who pays for the thing over say the next 20/30 years. I.E. the above would pay to have in part or all for above.

Take a look at a similar ( allthough not exatly the same ) underpass near Charing Cross station & the Thames.

A underpass would be better for above so the one we have would need to be wider but might be a lot cheaper than a bridge.

Jim the Yank, USA
If you build a bridge, it had better be enclosed, else all of those drunk English tourists, will be throwing their rubbish onto the road below.

Perry, St John
The idea of a 'bridge' is a good one (in theory) but should the money be spent on it or spent on other projects. Can we live without 'the bridge'? Probably...

Bob St Brelades
I totally agree with reg. Why are we squandering money on things that are not needed instead of Health and Education.

ellea
having just seen the bridge where is the access for prams and wheelchairs, maybe they do not want families and disabled people on the modern site they have built

Eric G. Voisin
Utilise the existing underpass.

Linda, St Helier
I wonder what makes Leigh think that any local engineers will be involved with the bridge design. Jobs like that seem to go off the Island. Also has anyone done any investigations as to how many times a year the bridge will have to be closed due to high winds?

Reg, St Brelades
I would like to ask, why are we being asked to comment on building the water front bridge....We were not consulted on the, so called `upside down boat` or the electric `steam clock.` I would like to know why are they asking us now. Is it because they are unsure whether they are doing the right thing.

June, St Lawrence
The question I would like to ask is 'What happened to the underpass that was included in the Liberation Square plans.' This would have solved all the problems of crossing the road safely from the Weighbridge area.