Ministers dismiss calls for free St Helier parking

More than 1,000 people have signed the petition

Ministers in Jersey have dismissed calls for parking in the island's town to be free on Saturdays.

More than 1,000 people signed a petition that asked for the change in St Helier, with the petition saying the "internet is killing retail" and the town is "becoming a ghost town".

In response, ministers said the town was recovering from the pandemic and was performing well compared to other cities across the country.

They also said free parking would "not benefit the overall economy and likely increase the cost of weekday parking".

The response said the Government of Jersey would publish its Retail Strategy by the end of 2024, which would "address the root causes of decline and explore evidence-based approaches for business and government to tackle these issues".

If the petition reaches 5,000 signatures it will be considered for debate by the States Assembly.