ESG Radio Newsletter 16^th February

Topics:  Upcoming DPC meetings: Rooke, Mount, Devil’s Tower 29 storey, Active Travel Strategy and more….

Hello- Once again development projects dominate the environmental agenda with DPC meeting next Thursday 23^rd at 9.30am and we can expect a busy session. We advise you to log on to the YouTube link posted on the Town Planning website under DPC, agendas for details, as you will only be able to follow proceedings live. There are no recordings available, nor physical meetings taking place, something we continue to regret and call for.

So if any of the following issues interest you be sure to look at plans available online beforehand and join the session being streamed that morning. A very large proposal for Devil’s Tower Road, in fact 1 of 2, is being tabled after having been deferred previously due to height and massing. Government’s Active Travel Strategy is also on the agenda for general discussion as well as one area being signalled separately with more detail supplied.  The ESG has broadly welcomed this while calling for a number of measures such as timeframes and budget, parallel action to reduce vehicle numbers, expansion of a clean emission public transport service removing out-dated and polluting buses from our roads, and, promoting the use of park and ride.

The Mount comes up with details and designs on a number of new public amenities.  Arengo’s, Governor’s Parade, Chilton Court and Eastern Beach Car Park are also on the agenda. Be sure to tune in!! That’s the 23^rd February at 9.30am.

The need for a fresh and holistic development plan for Gibraltar is desperately needed in our view.

With a much welcomed resumption of Litter Committee meetings the ESG is pleased to report that the Clean up Campaign has seen significant movement on the part of agencies and cleaning contractor to tackle a few ongoing and challenging hotspots. However, works continue and preventative measures and enforcement must also play their part. The dumping, especially of rubble and bulky items continues to take place in open spaces highlighting the urgent need for a fit for purpose waste handling facility.  The ESG continues to monitor such problem sites and supports spot clean ups by volunteers with equipment and advice throughout the year.

2023 is already a busy year for many, not least for us and we continue to work on many other fronts lobbying for best practice and precautionary principle to be core to decision making in all areas.

Please email us with any queries or concerns at esg@gibtelecom.net

Also visit our website at: www.esg-gib.net for more information.

• 

The ESG broadly supports the ‘Active Travel Strategy’ as a measure to encourage healthier travel like walking and cycling around our small town, as it also supports the measure to introduce signage with advice on distances to various locations, thereby encouraging both locals and visitors to leave their vehicles parked up.

However, the group believes that without a time frame and confirmation of resources available, the Active Travel Strategy is meaningless.

Moreover, if the proposed strategies are to be successful, a series of other measures must be introduced.

– enforcement against idling everywhere, but particularly outside schools and crowded areas, is essential to improve air quality and protect public health.

– pavement maintenance and provision should be reviewed to encourage safe walking.

– effective Park & Ride measures enabling visitors to park close to the border would also be a huge boost to the success of the active travel strategy.

– replacing public (and private) transport with clean emission vehicles is also urgently needed.

– changing local laws on emissions based on year of manufacture, which essentially allows old vehicles to pollute with impunity. Current legislation has moved on because of the proven harmful health effects of such dirty emissions.

– action on noise pollution from cars and motorbikes.

– action on dangerous driving from vehicles and motorbikes.

– cycle code of behaviour to be promoted with penalties for cyclists also in place.

– enforcement and promotion of the new regulations for use of EScooters in Gibraltar.

The ESG hopes Government gives these recommendations urgent traction to ensure measures like the “Active Travel Strategy” and future aspirations can reach their full potential. The group will also be appealing to the RGP to support the active enforcement of these measures once introduced, as they have done with the EScooters, to ensure their success to all our benefit.”