Gibraltar Consults on the Proper and Safe Use of Electric Scooters

THE parking of cars has always been a major problem in Gibraltar which is why so many residents turned to motor scooters to get around the Rock.

A very high percentage of the population own at least one car and the arrival of visitors from Spain added to both the congestion and pollution.

With so many cross-border workers coming and going on a daily basis the next step was for many to use electric scooters which whilst reducing the problem of parking brought new problems with the way in which they are handled.

The coronavirus, Covid-19 pandemic has given the Gibraltar government time to consider its position and already it is clear that in principle it wishes to reduce the number of petrol and diesel driven vehicles and to make it more expensive to own one.

Prior to the lockdown it introduced resident parking zones which were relatively inexpensive but reduced the free parking for visitors and it has built a number of new car parks although at least one of them ended up as a storage area for imported cars.

Now parking costs are due to rise, new pay parking areas such as Coaling Island have been created and there will be a road tax for local vehicle owners.

Disabled drivers are rather poorly treated and at the Grand Parade Car Park by the cable car, just four spaces (often blocked by taxis) are available out of 400 parking spaces and there is no information about whether blue badge holders may park in any car park which is allocated to residential zones.

The government wants to try to reduce pollution and attempted to close one particular main road for all except local residents but appears now to have backtracked because of the general outcry against the idea.

It is now looking at the situation of electric scooters and has opened a consultation period until June 19 during which time residents can comment on the concept of defining and regulating the proper use of personal light electric transporters such as e-scooters although Segways are currently not allowed.

The concept is to encourage proper and controlled use of these types of ‘vehicles’ and indeed the Gibraltar Post Office is trialling e-bikes for parcel delivery but for those who don’t act responsibly, the government wants the police to have the power to confiscate and possibly prosecute.

Its other platform suggests that more people should walk or ride bicycles to keep them healthy and pollution down.