GSD claims Transport Minister’s new measures are disjointed and lack depth

Gibraltar Traffic News

The GSD says the recent announcement by the Minister for Transport of the 1.5 metre rule and the revised Highway Code is not matched by support in his own Government.

It claims the effect is the measures are not joined up, lack depth and ultimately cannot effectively be introduced and enforced.

The Party feels changes in transport laws and regulations must be underpinned and matched by well-designed, modern infrastructure so as to provide the public with confidence in the safety and availability of the alternatives to car use.

The GSD’s Spokesman for Transport and the Environment Elliott Phillips says tinkering at the edges of transport policy without wide consultation, detailed planning and the provision of improved infrastructure such as roads, cycle lanes, and better public transport is simply not good enough.

He adds, Gibraltar has a unique, challenging and limited geography and more radical thinking must go into ensuring that all road users can be accommodated.

Mr Phillips asks why the financial penalty for non-compliance appears to be three times more than in the UK and European countries such as Ireland. And, he says there’s been much public debate about how practical the rule is.

In relation to the Highway Code, he says, that while the Government appears to have applied the UK code to Gibraltar given the similar legal systems, our infrastructure and roads have suffered years of neglect and therefore would have required a more bespoke code.

Elliott Philips believes bold and radical measures are needed but feels these have to be dove-tailed with proper planning.

He believes the Government has failed to learn the lessons from, what he terms, the Line Wall Road disaster, which he claims, showed a complete lack of planning and poor execution.

https://www.gbc.gi/news/gsd-claims-transport-ministers-new-measures-are-disjointed-and-lack-depth