Cycling network to expand as Govt poised to enforce e-scooter rules

Gibraltar’s cycling lane network is set to expand with new links planned through Chatham, the Watergardens area and the south district, while the Government is preparing to begin enforcement of e-scooter regulations.

The Minister for Transport, Dr John Cortes, said a relatively small stretch of cycle lane along the new Chatham development would link the existing route outside Bishop Fitzgerald to the area around the former Montague Pavilion.

The planned extension forms part of a wider effort to connect the existing cycling network further north.

Dr Cortes said the route would eventually link towards the Waterport fountain roundabout, with a developer expected to provide a further cycle lane if plans for development at the former petrol station and Bahia Bar site proceed.

"If that is delayed further, we might step in and do it ourselves," he said.

Another extension is being designed around the Watergardens area.

Dr Cortes said the proposal would continue the existing cycle lane which currently ends near the entrance to the Watergardens.

The plans would result in some parking being lost, although not all existing spaces would disappear.

"There's going to be some loss of parking, which is always a problem in Gibraltar, but not total, because instead the parkings are going to be parallel, so there'll be some loss, but not all of it will be lost," he said.

He said his team was currently working on the design and that a decision on the costs could be taken within the next few months.

"When the designs and the costs come in, hopefully, well, within the next few months, we should be able to take a decision and start working on that," he said.

A further cycle lane is also planned for the south district.

Dr Cortes said the Jumpers area had already been opened for joint pedestrian and cycling use and that the route would eventually continue southwards along Rosia Road.

That extension, however, will be delayed until sewer works are completed.

He explained the sewage works will dig up the whole road so there is no point beginning works on the cycle lane in that area for the time being.

“It's going to be a nightmare, but that's going to be done, because otherwise we're going to do a cycle lane and then dig it up, so we're going to wait, and that's going to link all the way down to the Anchorage area."

Alongside the expansion of the cycling network, the Government is working on further controls for electric scooters.

Dr Cortes said the Government had been unable to secure an insurer for privately owned e-scooters, with commercial scooters provided by companies such as Hoppy currently the only ones covered.

"We haven't been able to get any insurer to insure," he said.

He said the Government was instead working on a redefinition of electric scooters and electric bicycles, which was nearly ready for publication.

Dr Cortes said the new definitions would also address electric bicycles that went beyond conventional pedal assistance.

"We've got to be careful that some electric bicycles are more than electric bicycles, and in the end, they're not powered by your pedal, and they have a booster, so we need to be able to control that,” he said.

Speed checks are also being introduced, with equipment being obtained to test scooters and establish whether they can exceed the permitted 25kph limit.

Registration of e-scooters, however, is already underway.

Dr Cortes said just under 900 have registered so far, despite enforcement not yet having started.

Registered scooters are issued with a QR code sticker, which must be displayed on the vehicle.

The registration system is intended to allow authorities to identify the owner of a scooter in the event of an incident and to check whether a vehicle has been properly registered.

Dr Cortes said enforcement would include action against people using scooters without a QR code or with a fake code.

He said the Government had previously indicated that registration would be allowed to run until September before enforcement began.

The registration fee is £15 a year and Dr Cortes rejected suggestions that the charge was intended to raise money for the Government.

He said the purpose of the registration system was to establish a record of e-scooter users.