The GSD has again criticised Government for the way in which the condition of our roads and pavements has been allowed to deteriorate without any effective programme of repairs. The Government has completely lost sight of basics like the need for clean, tidy and safe streets. A continuous and effective maintenance programme is required and the GSD would be committed to providing such. 

Trevor Hammond, GSD Transport spokesman said “while Government may have flirted around the edges of a proper repairs programme for our roads and pavements, the fact is that many of our main thoroughfares, inevitably those most used are in a deplorable position. Surfaces are potholed and crumbling away for lack of any maintenance, road markings have faded to the extent that many are invisible and Government does nothing about it. Indeed when markings are painted, all too often the first efforts are incorrect and need to be re-done wasting both time and money.

“With congestion worse than ever, with parking more difficult than ever and while the Minister contemplates his expensively bought but flawed strategic plan for traffic and parking, the reality on the ground is that there is no effective maintenance programme to address the fundamentals and too much time and money is wasted correcting mistakes. One need only look at the fiasco that was the new roundabout on Devil’s Tower Road, one of many examples highlighting mistakes by the Ministry.

“If Government was genuine in its commitment to make walking a more pleasant experience in Gibraltar, to encourage cycling, to make our streets safer in general it must get back to basics, make the investment and begin to effect repairs and maintenance of our streets. The fact is that in the six months since last raising this concern, Government have done nothing significant with respect to the problem.”

09-11-18 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR