Final touches as cycle lane pilot scheme nears launch date

The final touches were put in place yesterday ahead of the launch of Gibraltar’s first dedicated cycle lanes, running along Main Street and Irish Town.

The pilot scheme becomes operational on August 6 and will be available only within specific timeframes designed to avoid peak periods when both roads busy.

The Gibraltar Government is aiming to encourage more people to opt for cycling as a way of getting around Gibraltar.

But even before its launch, the scheme has drawn criticism from people concerned that the cycle lanes are not compatible with Main Street and Irish Town, which have long been pedestrianised and are busy round the clock.

There are concerns about the safety of pedestrians in such a tight space, while the signs posted on the concrete security blocks on Main Street – the cycle lane runs through them – raised more than one eyebrow when images were posted on social media yesterday.

Regulations were also published in the gazette yesterday to provide the legal framework for the cycle lanes.

Pic by Eyleen Sheil