Govt unveils plans to redesign streets for ‘people, not cars’

The Gibraltar Government plans to introduce a road use charge for vehicles as part of its Sustainable Mobility Initiative, which aims to redesign the Rock’s streets for “people, not cars.”

“Air pollution dropped significantly during the lockdown as people reconsidered the way they moved and indeed their need to move,” a statement from No6 Convent Place said.

The redesign it said will enable and encourage people to choose to travel differently, and also enable and encourage the movement of goods and services to take place in less polluting and more space-efficient ways.

In a bid to achieve this, the Government pledges to implement a smart and equitable system of road user charging, to make it safer and more convenient for people to walk short journeys, especially to work and school, to make cycling a safe and viable alternative to private cars through the creation of segregated cycle lanes wherever possible.

It aims to improve the quality, reliability, speed and accessibility of bus travel.

“Active travel can improve our health and our quality of life,” said the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change, Dr John Cortes.

“This is a chance to permanently improve the air that we breathe and we would urge everyone to work with us in making Gibraltar a better place to be.”

Reduce emissions from freight operations, covering not just cleaner vans and lorries but also e-cargo bikes for city centre deliveries as well as reduce tourist vehicles coming in to the city by providing attractive and affordable alternatives.

The Government also aims to provide greater incentives for the purchase of zero-carbon vehicles and introduce a scrappage scheme for old vehicles in a bid to enable people to use zero-carbon shared private transport (scooters, bicycles, cars and vans), “thereby reducing car ownership.”

A Government statement stated it seeks to engage positively with the public by way of polls, competitions and active social media campaigns.

“We want to show people that life is not all about using your car,” the Minister for Business, Tourism and Transport Vijay Daryanani said.

“If people walk and cycle more, you have a more attractive and livable city.”

“Our new road projects will showcase our vision for a Greener Gibraltar. These projects are for our future generations, when people will look back and see that this Government had the foresight to deliver these wonderful projects.”

“The only way to improve our quality of living is to get everyone involved, and that is what we are trying to achieve.”