Traffic and car parking

Over the past few weeks much has been said about the car parking schemes in Gibraltar, especially the new Zone 2 and how photographs of empty bays mean the scheme isn’t necessary. Well I can assure you, as I live in zone 2, that prior to this it was virtually impossible to get a place around there for residents. The scheme to stop vehicles wandering up Irish Town when not delivering has actually eased off as there are more and more vehicles parked under the bridge by the rear of the ICC blocking the area for pedestrians most of the day.  Our office overlooks this area so I know. Recently I also read how we in Gibraltar don’t really need vehicles and maybe the Government should charge up to 150% tax on new cars to stop people buying them? Not cool.

Our Founding Partner Nick Cruz walks to and from the office daily and to the Court when so required. He will be the first to argue that walking is not only healthy for us as a people but also for us as a country with less pollutants. Parents dropping their kids off at school really is a nonsense when for most the walk is less than 15 minutes or the free buses make it less so. Our children, some of them, are getting more “rounded” shall I say and a lack of excercise is to blame, maybe. However as a nation we do need cars. Only those without a real understanding of a closed border could really think that we don’t. Those of us that experienced that blockage know how it feels at weekends or even on a bank holiday to be able to get through the frontier and breathe the open road with Europe at our feet. This even post brexit, should be the desire for every Gibraltarian. Go forth and experience the world, then come home and teach us what you’ve learnt, should be the mantra of every Gibraltarian parent, ever. For that alone we need our spaces so our cars are safe here at home ready for that “puente” or vacation we richly deserve.

Happy Days.