GSD questions Govt’s ‘Redibike election gimmick’

The GSD has questioned the delay with the Gibraltar Government’s plans to replace the ‘Gibibikes’ bike hire scheme with its own version, ‘Redibikes’.

The Gibraltar Government had trumpeted the scheme in the run-up to the general election, with Transport Minister Paul Balban signalling at the time that the aim was to launch it early in 2016.

But answer to Opposition questions in Parliament had revealed that the government was still negotiating to purchase land on which to site some of the bicycle docking stations.

“It was completely disingenuous of the minister to have made this announcement when he did, it now seems to have been no more than an election gimmick,” said Trevor Hammond, the GSD spokesman for the environment and transport.

“This project was promised for early this year and yet as we approach autumn we discover that it is mired in technicalities that the Government must have foreseen when making the original announcement.”

“It is equally bad if they had not foreseen these problems.”

“As with the long awaited speed cameras and the much vaunted Sustainable Traffic and Transport Plan which remains in draft form awaiting publication, one wonders if the minister is able to see a project through to completion.”