Catalan Bay Road closures planned in ‘final push’ before bathing season, as Transport Lane reopening nears

Beachgoers will be relieved to hear that road works at Transport Lane and on Catalan Bay Road are set to finish by next Thursday with no further disruptions expected until after the bathing season in September.

At a press conference in No.6 Convent Place, the Minister for Transport, Dr John Cortes, confirmed that the long‑delayed reopening of Transport Road is imminent with works expected to be completed by this coming Sunday evening, restoring a vital link to the South District as road users have been forced to divert via Europa Road.

However, before normal traffic flow is fully restored, there will be a short period of temporary restrictions to allow for line painting and the reversal of traffic flows.

Dr Cortes said that while the road will not yet be fully resurfaced, it will be in good enough condition for vehicles.

The news means that buses will once again return to their usual route serving the South District.

The period of relief from roadworks will only be for the summer months as sewage works will need to continue on Rosia Road once bathing season is over.

The next phase of works will continue along Rosia Road by New Mole House, where Dr Cortes confirmed the whole road will need to be “opened up”, which will lead to “considerable disruption”.

Planning, he said, is ongoing as to how best to manage that phase.

At Catalan Bay, the section of road where there are currently traffic lights that lead up to the entrance to the village will be closed every night for a week starting tomorrow (Thursday) till Thursday May 21, inclusive, from 9.30pm to 7am.

During the daytime, traffic will be controlled by traffic lights as it is presently.

Residents will have to use the longer route via Europa Point after 9.30pm to reach their homes.

In addition, the night bus will be rerouted to avoid the affected stretch, akin to previous diversions during east side rockfalls.

Dr Cortes said this is a “final push” to ensure that access to the beaches is not compromised once the bathing season is fully underway.

A resurfacing of the affected stretch is also planned.

He also confirmed that no further works are planned during the main summer period, although, initially, some weeks of single-lane traffic with lights will continue as needed by the car park on Sir Herbert Miles Road.

These works will be managed to minimise loss of parking by allowing roadside parking on one lane where possible.

Post bathing season, more sewage works will need to be carried out in the area.

PLETs

During the press conference Dr Cortes, who was joined by Senior Officer at the Ministry of Transport Stewart Harrison, spoke about the new compulsory registration scheme for PLETs, commonly known as e‑scooters, which will go live on Monday, May 18.

Under regulations set out in the 2023 law on PLETs, all such vehicles used on Gibraltar’s public roads will now have to be registered. Failure to register will result in a £300 fine.

The scheme requires users to complete an online registration, which needs to be done annually at a fee of £15.

Dr Cortes told journalists that this was not a revenue raising scheme and, in fact, the annual fee will cover the cost of software and other costs associated with the implementation of the regulations.

The requirement applies both to locally owned scooters and those coming across the border.

Mr Harrison explained that, once an application is approved, the system will generate a sticker with a QR code that must be fixed to the front of the e-scooter.
These stickers, which are set to be ready within five working days, are to be printed at the Government Customer Care Hub on Main Street where the owner will collect it.

Mr Harrison also confirmed that, if a QR sticker is lost or damaged, it will be reissued without the owner having to pay the full registration fee again.

Enforcement officers will be able to scan the QR code on an e-scooter using their phones, which will pull up the registered record in a secure, password‑protected platform.

This will include the information submitted with the application and will allow officers to identify the scooter and its registered user and issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) on the spot for offences, including cases of dangerous or careless riding.

They will record the date, reason and FPN number directly in the system, with fines to be paid within 30 days.

Mr Harrison and Dr Cortes both stressed that only authorised personnel can access the back‑end system, and that scanning the QR code does not make personal information publicly available.

There will be a transition period after the launch on Monday during which the authorities will publicise the scheme and encourage registrations before strictly enforcing penalties for non-compliance.

Information on the new requirements will be posted at key entry points, including the frontier, in English and Spanish so that visitors are aware of the rules.

Asked about e-scooters used for guided tours by cruise passengers, Dr Cortes said no exemption for these is currently planned.

He said the Government intends to use the expected three-month bedding-in period to engage with cruise ship operators and agree practical arrangements for registering fleets of e-scooters.

He also noted that enforcement will be stepped up, particularly around the 25 km/h speed limit, especially on cycle lanes. New equipment is being procured and traffic officers are being trained to support enforcement.

When asked, he said it was not as a “direct response” to a recent incident involving a woman injured by a e-scooter on a cycle lane which left her in considerable pain, bruising and unable to carry out all of her usual activities.

“It's not in response to that particular incident, but that particular incident justifies our approach,” Dr Cortes said.

“I think the speed limit is important, and we're going to be stepping up enforcement.”

He also confirmed that if a person is involved in an incident with an e-scooter, much as they might note a number plate after a collision with a car, they could similarly record a scooter’s registration details for reporting purposes.

Dr Cortes and Mr Harrison were also asked about the reactions and feedback to the electric bus trials on the Upper Town route.

Mr Harrison stated that the public’s response has been “fantastic” and drivers found the buses comfortable and well-suited to the steep and narrow Upper Town route.

In testing, the vehicles reportedly used less than half their batteries over approximately six runs, covering most of a morning’s service.

The buses provide improved wheelchair and pram access, with a more purpose‑built system than existing vehicles.

He confirmed that, given an investment of around £1.6 million, thorough trials were conducted before committing to the new fleet.

The two buses used in this trial will be used on the new Upper Rock shuttle due to start at the beginning of June.

Separately, six new electric buses are on order and are expected to enter service in September, to cover the Upper Town route.

Their arrival will free up existing buses for other routes and allow expansion of certain services, Dr Cortes noted.

Dr Cortes also noted a positive reaction to the introduction of new London black cab-style electric taxis which have been spotted around the Rock in the last week.