Latest news with #Ronez
BBC News
12-08-2025
- BBC News
Jersey road workers wearing bodycams due to verbal abuse
Workers are having to wear bodycams after experiencing verbal abuse at road closure sites in Jersey, a tarmac company has and Pallot Tarmac said it was a preventative step to help the workers protect themselves, calling the abuse from some islanders "disgraceful".One road closure at the end of July saw business owners on the east coast say the six-week roadwork scheme could have been planned for a different time of year to reduce Andy Jehan, Minister for Infrastructure, said the school holidays "were deemed the best time to do it" due to the reduced amount of traffic. Managing director Mike Osborne said although most people were understanding about the road closures, abuse and threats were difficult to deal said: "It's demoralising and it increases the stress levels considerably if you don't know how the next person that you're going to engage with is going to react to you. "We're very grateful for the many people that are really appreciative and bring treats and goodies for the guys, but some people do get very abusive with these guys that are just supporting these essential works for the island." Mr Osborne said the workers had felt "threatened" and had even had to call for police intervention in some said: "I think it's disgraceful that we've reached the point where operatives trying to implement a scheme for the safety of the people on the site and the people affected by the site have to wear body cams for their own ultimate protection."I think it's a very small minority that are causing these problems but they are indeed becoming very significant problems."Mr Osborne added the roadworks would ultimately benefit all added: "Just be respectful and courteous to the people that are trying to assist the public."
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Higher costs driving up Guernsey concrete prices
A leading supplier of construction materials in Guernsey says islanders face high prices for some products due to the costs to make Roussel, manager at Ronez, which supplies aggregate, asphalt and concrete, said rising shipping and labour costs were headwinds faced by the States last week requested a review into the cost of island concrete products after initial investigations found some were "twice as high" as in the UK. Guernsey's competition watchdog, which is conducting the review, said some builders had reported customers could no longer afford to have work carried out. 'Demand dropping out' Mr Roussel said higher shipping and labour costs were factored into the price of some of its said island's "small market size and the smaller amount of material produced leads to higher unit costs", but added prices had risen yearly in line with Byrne, chief executive of the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority, said the review would look at solutions to reduce costs."The building sector has been saying that demand has been falling and this is almost certainly because the cost and viability of investment," he said."Demand is dropping out and that is a development that is potentially affecting growth, because if people are not spending in capital investment, that speaks to things as an economy it would be good for us to solve." 'Key priority' In authorising the study, the Committee for Economic Development said it would show if prices were too high and how it could be review was brought as the States looks to see more new housing built in the Development President Deputy Neil Inder said: "With the development of housing being a key priority of the States, the prices of input products such as concrete and aggregates directly impact the cost of house building."Several large firms in the island told the BBC demand remained buoyant despite higher costs.
