Border plans take shape as Govt highlights new security measures

The Gibraltar Government highlighted new border security measures on Wednesday after video circulated widely of sections of the old fence being removed, prompting concerns.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo toured the eastern end of the border with journalists, pointing out that while the old fence was being removed, a new, high security one had already been erected just a few metres away.

The new category 4 fence, the same type used around the perimeters of UK military sites, will stretch from the commercial gate to the sea. The area between the old fence and the new one will be paved differently to adjacent Spanish land, marking it as British territory.

The military estate at the western end of the border will also remain fenced off, meaning the only area without a border fence will run from the current entry crossing to the end of the loop by the air terminal.

The new fence will offer “better protection”, Mr Picardo told reporters, adding too that there will be extensive CCTV and facial recognition cameras in the area, improved lighting and a significant, permanent law enforcement presence.

“A secondary, much better, much more reliable ‘no climb’ fence line has been erected from the sea all the way to the airport, which means that if anybody were to enter Gibraltar by what we might call the eastern fairground access area, all they will meet is another fence which stops them from hitting the tunnel, the runway or any pedestrian access to Gibraltar in any way,” he said.

“The only way that people will be able to come into Gibraltar anyway, even after the fence is completely removed, is between the airport, where it is today, the loop, and where we've always seen pedestrians come through.”

“In other words, it's that 150 metres that is what's going to be entirely open, and it's where we're going to have a massive police presence, camera presence, vehicle presence, to ensure that nobody comes into Gibraltar who shouldn’t.”

Mr Picardo was speaking as the Gibraltar Government published artist impressions of what new traffic arrangements at the border will look like once the treaty is implemented provisionally as from July 15.

Although some elements of the design are agreed - – the new law enforcement headquarters, the pedestrian access, the roundabout, for example – other areas including the final layout of lanes into Spain have yet to be finalised.

The designs show the concepts that are being targeted but initially, there will be little change to traffic flow and vehicles will cross in both directions much as they do today, although the area will change significantly.

Mr Picardo met on Wednesday with La Linea mayor Juan Franco to discuss and coordinate cross-border elements of the plans.

There is a desire, for example, to build a transport hub on the site where the Guardia Civil checks are carried out, allowing taxis and buses in Gibraltar and Spain to drop off and collect passengers.

Service vehicles cannot cross the border but will be able to interchange passengers at this location.

The main pedestrian flow will be channelled through where the current Gibraltar customs facility is located, though nothing will stop pedestrians from walking across along the length of the loop where there will be no fencing.

There are plans too for a tourism office at the border.

The Government is confident that everything will be ready on the Gibraltar side well before July 15, when immigration controls will be lifted as the treaty enters provisional implementation.

Inside the air terminal, e-gates needed as part of controls for the EU’s entry/exit system are already being installed and connected to the Schengen system.