Eddie Noel: the Blog Collection

“FORMER Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel has blamed social media attacks – and the toll they were taking on his family – for his decision to leave politics. Mr Noel’s comments echo remarks made by other serving and recently retired politicians about the rise in negativity and personal attacks on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.” (JEP)

I hope that doesn’t include bloggers!

I've always found Eddie was extremely forthcoming with help on background information for my blogs, and he would get the appropriate officials to give me the information, which very helpfully they did.

Yes, politicians make mistakes, but I always think it is also worth celebrating the good that they and their department does. The Love Jersey App is an extremely useful information and reporting tool. The sea wall at Beaumont is a good piece of modern engineering. More double decker buses, more bus shelters, an e-bicycle subsidy strategy and more cycle paths clear of the roads are all positives, as was the shared space initiative, the Parish speed limits consultation, and starting Les Quennevais School.

Of the downside, Jersey Property Holdings seem to have been involved a lot, whether in hospital plans which were turned down (after lack of consultation with Planning) and the foreshore land grab (money with menaces). The Rubis Fuel farm  lease was also far too rushed.

But when you consider what Guy de Faye did on his watch as Minister for TTS - very little, and a Victoria Avenue revamp which needed redoing because Guy had not consulted emergency services about the Bel Royal end - Eddie did a lot with his team.

I’ve assembled my blog posts, some praising Eddie, some more critical, but always of States policies and never I hope of the man himself. Looking at it, I hope I’ve been fair and even handed. Social media is a platform for scrutiny, but not for personal attacks.

2014

Removing States Free Parking at Snow Hill and moving to Pier Road. Eddie bucks the trend against the more selfish States members. Incidentally recent candidate Gerard Baudains wanted to keep the Snow Hill parking!
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2014/05/deconstructing-comment.html

Traffic Congestion on the Roads: A look at the problems facing Eddie
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2014/12/traffic-congestion-in-jersey.html

2015

Increasing parking above cost of living: Eddie Noel’s strategy is to increase parking charges to such a degree – far above the cost of living – to ensure that people leave cars at home and take public transport. I thought it would be counter-productive and damage town trade.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/03/thoughts-on-economics-of-parking.html

Care Inquiry Costs: A look at the costly methods of redaction used in the Care Inquiry. Justified I think as the methods were improved after that. A fairer criticism than that of Sir Philip Bailhache who appears to have wanted to curtail the Inquiry before it reached his 2008 Liberation Day speech.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/03/care-inquiry-budgets.html

Silver UnFare: Eddie proposes that pensioners should pay if travelling at peak times. Not something I agreed with.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/08/pensioners-bus-fares-manipulating.html
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/08/imagine-this.html

A Sensible Bus Strategy – praise for Eddie’s early efforts to boost bus travel
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/06/some-political-notes.html

Again, on a positive note, more on the bus shelter roll-out, information provided via Eddie
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/11/sheltering-from-storm.html

Carry on Cabby – the taxi driver dispute: The first attempt to tackle reform of the cabs and taxies was rather draconian, and Eddie had to back off.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2015/12/carry-on-cabby-taxi-driver-dispute.html

2016

Reducing Staff – Eddie explains why this must happen, plus a few comments.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/03/news-or-noise.html

Unseemly Haste: The rush to get the Fuel Farm lease sorted out was not one of Eddie’s finest hours.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/03/unseemly-haste-fuel-farm-lease-mystery.html

Cut backs to States gardening and maintenance by TTS and some comments
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/06/some-interesting-questions-from-hansard.html

Planning Application for Les Quennevais School: Positive Press release from Eddie as the project moves ahead
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/06/planning-application-for-les-quennevais.html

Bus Shelters Strategy: A good direction taken by Eddie
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/07/bus-shelters-and-strategic-thinking.html

Technical information on improved traffic lights – thanks for Eddie for getting his team to provide technical information
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/07/lighting-way.html

The Green Weed: Eddie finally agrees to try Save Our Shoreline’s strategy of furrows.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/08/oysters-and-sea-lettuce-and-sand-furrows.html

Calculating the Waste Charge – thanks for Eddie for getting his team to provide details on how costings were arrived at
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2016/08/calculating-burden-of-commercial-waste.html

2017

A little levity – I’ve done this with politicians of all political persuasions.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-eddie-noel-portfolio-of-political.html

Smelly Bellozanne: Not wanting to cover up the sewage treatment area was too cost-saving for my liking. The States should show social responsibility. I disagreed with Eddie.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2017/11/smellozanne-never-ending-saga.html

2018

Flood Improvements at Beaumont – thanks for Eddie for getting his team to provide me with technical information and photo.
http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2018/01/flood-alleviation-improvements-to.html

And there we have it.

During his tenure, Eddie provided me with the following help:

• Information about the bus shelter programme and strategy 
• Technical information on new traffic lights and how they function at lower cost 
• Breakdown of costings for waste charge 
• Shared Spaces Awareness Campaign (also used in Parish Magazine) 
• Proposed Bel Royal pedestrian safety improvements 
• Map of proposed speed limit changes in St Brelade

The development of the Love Jersey App, and now the Paycard Parking APP, have been very welcome changes. I frequently use the first to check weather and tides, check car park space availability, and on several occasions to raise reports – for example, a leaking manhole cover with water bubbling up in St Brelade’s Bay. The progression of bus shelters has been remarkable for its speed, and I am sure makes a significant difference to bus use in bad weather.