Plans to widen bus station entrance after accidents

4 hours ago

News image — The kerb at the vehicle entrance to Liberation Station will be realigned to "guide buses away from the building overhang," the application says.

Government of Jersey An artist's impression, with a birds-eye perspective, of a white, double-decker Jersey bus. It is approaching a rectangular, grey and yellow height restriction barrier. At the rear of the bus, a set of yellow lines are painted on the road. A zebra crossing is visible in the top left of the image. — The kerb at the vehicle entrance to Liberation Station will be realigned to "guide buses away from the building overhang," the application says.

The Government of Jersey has submitted a planning application to widen the vehicle entrance to Liberation Bus Station, after three separate accidents there in the past decade.

A double-decker bus struck the first-floor overhang at the entrance to the bus station on 3 February 2025 while similar incidents also occurred in March 2019 and July 2015, the planning application said.

If plans are approved, the design statement says that the kerb at the vehicle entrance to the station would be realigned to "guide buses away from the building overhang".

It was also intended that a height restriction barrier would be installed, while there would also be "minor drainage and street furniture amendments".

Government of Jersey An artist's impression of a white, double-decker, number 14 Jersey bus, approaching a rectangular, grey and yellow height restriction barrier. The existing side of Liberation Station is visible to the right of the image. — A height restriction barrier will provide a "final chance for the driver of a double-decker bus to realise their error", the application says.

According to the planning application, Liberation Station - which was originally built in 2005 - was initially "intended for use by single-decker buses only".

It says that the height restriction barrier would be aimed at preventing double-decker buses from entering the bus depot at the rear of the station, and that it would be placed "on the north of the gate at the entrance to the bus station".

"This is due to the carriageway being the narrowest at this location," the application says.

"This also provides a final chance for the driver of a double-decker bus to realise their error and prevent the vehicle from continuing beneath the first floor terrace above the bus stands."

The application says that the proposal will "substantially" reduce the risk of collision with the first-floor overhang and safeguard passengers and staff.

The changes will also "decrease service disruptions caused by vehicle strikes and associated maintenance of the vehicle," the application says.