Waiting list for residential parking permits up to five years in parts of Jersey

  • ITV Channel reporter Phil Wellbrook investigates the parking permit issues in Jersey


Residents in Jersey say they are facing a "nightmare" wait of up to five years for a parking permit.

Ben Osmand applied back in 2019 and is still on the list for one.

He explained: "If you're like me and you work late then you've got nowhere to park at night ... it's a nightmare."

Residents in St Helier also face lengthy waiting lists.

Dan George said: "It's now coming up to 30 months and we haven't heard anything back yet, it can be very frustrating."

St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft told ITV News: "The fact is that demand far outstrips supply many times over.

"There are far more people wanting a resident's parking permit than there are spaces."

Complaints have also been made about the rising cost of parking schemes in both parishes.

The average permit in St Saviour will set residents back £900 a year, while three out of the four parking zones in St Helier cost more than £400 for a 12-month permit.

Constable Crowcroft added: "Clearly people on the scheme don't like to see the costs going up, it's gone up with inflation this year.

"But, it's still much much cheaper than the alternative which is a season ticket at a car park or to rent a private parking space."

Some are having to spend thousands of pounds on private parking instead.

He believes pressure on the system has been exacerbated by residents in new housing developments applying for permits as their properties do not have a parking space.

In St Helier, there is a review into the lack of parking which Constable Crowcroft hopes will free up some spaces.

He said: "We suspect there are some people who get a residents parking permit and they simply store their vehicle in the street for the whole year and they never drive it.

"That's not what the resident's parking scheme was designed to do, it's supposed to provide flexibility for busy families."