What Happened
Clarence Road near Victoria College Preparatory School will be closed to vehicles during school peak hours on a permanent basis starting Tuesday, September 8, 2026, according to a report by the Jersey Evening Post. The closure converts a part-time restriction that had operated on a trial basis into a standing term-time rule.
The ban applies to the section of Clarence Road running between its junctions with Grosvenor Street, Pleasant Street, and College Hill. Vehicles are excluded during two daily windows: 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. The restriction is in effect on term-time weekdays only.
The trial that preceded the permanent order ran from June 2, 2025, through July 17, 2026, the Jersey Evening Post reported. During that period, the crossing operated on school days at peak hours. A report accompanying the ministerial decision found that an average of 290 pedestrians used the new crossing during school peak hours each day. More than 2,000 people crossed at the junction on each school day during the trial.
The ministerial document described the trial as having delivered “significant transport benefits,” including changes in pedestrian crossing behavior. The decision to make the arrangement permanent followed an analysis of data collected over the trial period and a formal consultation with Victoria College Preparatory School.
The crossing was developed under the government’s Safer Routes to School project. It also supports the Carbon Neutral Roadmap target of achieving a 7.5% shift toward active travel by 2030, according to the Jersey Evening Post.
Location & Road Context
Clarence Road sits in St. Helier adjacent to Victoria College Preparatory School, with the restricted section spanning three intersections: Grosvenor Street, Pleasant Street, and College Hill. The corridor handles concentrated pedestrian movement twice daily as students arrive and depart. The closure channels that foot traffic through a controlled crossing rather than competing with vehicle flow at the junctions.
Broader Impact
To formalize the restriction, the Road Traffic (St. Helier) (Jersey) Order 1996 will be amended. The change also advances Jersey’s Sustainable Transport Policy goal of making walking and cycling more attractive for school and commuter journeys. The permanent order takes effect with the start of the school term on September 8, 2026.