Sep 26 - GSD: Redibikes Not Ready ?
The GSD says that it's almost a year since the Government announced their scheme to replace 'Gibibikes' with their own 'Redibikes' to encourage people out of their cars and onto bikes. The part says that “an endless list” comes to mind about just how 'Redi' the scheme was when Minister Balban announced it “with much fanfare” during the General election, saying "I am pleased to announce that Government received a consignment of bicycles and their associated infrastructure on 5th August. All enabling works for the bicycle stations has now been completed and we are aiming to be in a position to launch the scheme in early 2016".
The party says that, despite this, it was discovered through questions in Parliament that Government is still negotiating to purchase land on which some of the bicycle docking stations are to be located.
Trevor Hammond, GSD Spokesman for the Environment and Transport said:
"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. 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."
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