A GSLP Liberal Government, if re-elected, offers the “most exciting and environmentally sustainable future for our Gibraltar” according to GSLP Liberal Candidate Paul Balban.

Mr Balban set out his plans at a press conference earlier today with the Leader of the GSLP Liberals, Fabian Picardo, at GSLP Campaign Headquarters in Irish Place.

Paul Balban said: “At a time when the whole world is lobbying for a greener and healthier environment, our manifesto will deliver a green Gibraltar, making Gibraltar a truly liveable and breathable city while incorporating modern technology to begin our journey to become a Smart City.

“Combined with our vision for the creation of the Child Friendly City, Gibraltar will lead other nations as we showcase what will be an inspiration to others.

“Our plans for Queensway build on the GSLP Liberals decision to create Commonwealth Park. Along with Midtown Park (the working name for the project under way in Reclamation Road), we will create two further parks along the southern end of Queensway, creating a ‘green corridor’ where there once were only car parks. This green lung will be the backdrop against which the GSLP Liberals will deploy a wealth of initiatives to encourage people to ride and walk to school/work along the city walls and beyond.

“We plan to improve our bus service yet further, building on the success of the bus tracker we deployed during this last term of office and deploying technology at the bus stops and in the buses themselves. We are not satisfied that there are no electric bus solutions usable in the Gibraltar context, so we will redouble our efforts to find a new, greener solution for our bus service.

“We have invested heavily in enhancing safety for pedestrians, installing all manner of infrastructure designed to protect and direct pedestrian traffic as safely as possible. Our work in that regard is not yet complete. We will continue to work towards the objective of offering pavements and safe crossings for all users, whatever their needs, throughout Gibraltar. Speed cameras and raised crossings are a couple of the strategies we are already using to curb speeding and make pedestrians as safe as we can. Our ‘Walk the Wall’ project will be particularly relevant in this respect as it will be a pedestrian / cyclists zone only which will be family friendly and populated with greenery also. This project will deliver as much on our #greenGibraltar agenda as it will on our #ChildFriendlyCity project also.

“On parking, we will complete the zoning of our residential parking scheme, and we will build two car parks in the Upper Town which will include electricity charging points. It is expected that this initiative will provide a substantial number of parkings in the context of the Upper Town whilst retaining facilities such as the Plater Youth Club which will have brand new premises. As we finalise plans we will be able to confirm the number in due course but our current estimate is in excess of 500 parking spaces.

“Our current thinking on bicycles, which now appears to have also been adopted politically across the board will provide the necessary infrastructure to support, encourage and empower those that wish to explore the bicycle as a potential and viable alternative to the car and delivery vehicle for last mile deliveries within the commercial and pedestrian hub.

“Education will form the backbone of our cycling strategy as we take the very successful cycling proficiency courses established by the RGP to a totally new level of teaching vital and transferable skills for safe cycling on our roads via our new Pedal Ready teaching scheme.

“Added to our commitment to adopt tried and tested schemes we will explore the Ride to Work Scheme, incorporate a bicycle parking app and explore enhancements to our bicycle sharing scheme by including electric shared bicycles. We are also committed, in what will be a first for Gibraltar and a statement of intent like no other, to a per capita investment of £10 to the promotion of and creation of infrastructure for cycling in Gibraltar. This annual commitment lays down a financial marker of our commitment to cycling as an alternative form of transport in Gibraltar. The idea that there is no future for cycling in Gibraltar is now firmly confined to the same political bin in which the GSLP Liberals dumped the GSD’s diesel burning power station that would have meant annual increases in the price of electricity for 25 years and would have been belching black smoke into the environment for far longer.

“The future is bright but above all the future is green and child friendly – exactly what our people want!”

Fabian Picardo, the Leader of the GSLP Liberals said: “Paul has done such a great and passionate job these past eight years. He is committed to changing transport in an environmentally sustainable way. But we know we have more to do and we are ready to do it. Our ideas for transport are the most exciting and the most positive. We are ready to deliver for our nation on this positive agenda for a #greenGibraltar. Now, to deliver this exciting agenda, we need the ten votes each elector has so that we form government next week.”

Pic below: Plans for Grand Parade