Cycle lanes for town centre

The cycle lane pilot scheme for Main Street and Irish Town will be operational as from Monday, August 6 at 7pm.

A maiden cycle event will take place that evening to mark the occasion.

The Cycle Lane will offer restricted operational times of Monday – Friday 7pm – 9:15am, Saturday 5pm – 9:15am and Sunday 5pm – 9:15am.

Following the launch of this pilot scheme the Government said it will continue to monitor the operational times.

The cycling lane will offer a designated route southbound via Main Street and northbound along Irish Town.

Cyclists travelling southbound may take advantage of the scheme which commences at Casemates Gates; via Casemates Square and along Main Street with exit via Cathedral Square.

In a northbound direction, the cycle lane allows cyclists to enter via John Mackintosh Square along the length of Irish Town with safe exit via Fish Market Road.

Cycling is prohibited along connecting streets or roads that allow pedestrian access to Main Street and Irish Town.

The directional routes of travel and operational times shall be shown by way of signage and road demarcations throughout Main Street and Irish Town.

The new cycle lane forms part of the Government’s Sustainable, Traffic, Transport and Parking Plan, and is an attempt to promote cycling as a sustainable mode of transport.

According to the Government, the implementation of dedicated cycle lanes takes on board the feedback received throughout the consultation period of the STTPP that revealed that people would cycle more if there were more and better cycling facilities.

“The encouragement of cycling is known to be an important factor to promote health and physical activity, improve air quality in places of high vehicle density and to alleviate traffic congestion. Also known to be one of the most efficient forms of transport with no resultant environmental impact, cycling is inexpensive and clean and has benefits for other road users,” said a statement from Number 6, Convent Place.

Works to demarcate and sign the cycle lane have started and will be ongoing over the following weeks.

On the maiden cycling event, cyclists should congregate at Casemates Square at 6pm, where information on the Pilot Scheme will be available. A RediBike stall will also be available for anyone wishing to register for free and try out a RediBike.

The Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Paul Balban said: “I am pleased to see the announcement and implementation of a key recommendation of the Sustainable Traffic, Transport and Parking Plan, to promote cycling throughout Gibraltar. The Pilot Scheme aims to promote cycling as a sustainable form of travel by implementing a dedicated cycle lane that shall provide a safe environment.”

Pic by Johnny Bugeja