The conversion of a significant parking area on Queensway into a green area causing the removal of a couple of mature eucalyptus trees makes no sense now. The Government intend to convert the ex-Romney huts area into a green area causing the loss of 84 car parking spaces as well as motorcycle bays. Additionally, the proposal is said to include a removal of some existing mature trees along Queensway.
Leader of the Opposition Keith Azopardi said:
“None of this makes sense and is deeply contradictory. How is it consistent with a green Gibraltar to remove eucalyptus trees which have been there for decades? Secondly where are these parking spaces going to be reprovided? We have already seen the loss of significant areas of parking on Queensway. This will just compound the traffic issue. It would make sense to ensure a reprovision before any steps are taken otherwise further traffic issues will be caused.
The solution cannot lie in just getting people to take public transport at a time when Government is urging the public to maintain social distancing and minimise interaction. Necessarily, in practice, people are being discouraged from public transport during the COVID pandemic.
Finally this makes no economic sense at a time of high borrowing to plug funding holes because of COVID and in the run up to the end of the BREXIT transitional period. Government needs to be far more prudent, prioritise and reduce public spending on projects that can wait for a better financial day.”
Shadow Environment Minister Elliott Phillips said:
“Projects like this can only work if they are well-planned and part of an integrated green strategy. The fiasco of bad planning at Line Wall Road should have showed the Government something. They are just setting themselves up for further public discontent because of their haphazard transport and environmental policy.”
1a College Lane Gibraltar GX11 1AA
