World Bicycle Day Route
Ruta del Día Mundial de la Bicicleta
Part of the Green Week Gibraltar celebrations is to put emphasis on the things we can do to save our planet and provide for a healthier way of life . This year we decided to help with the organization of a World Bicycle Day cycle route on the 3rd June . This gave a firm focus on the importance and much needed improvement for sustainable transport infrastructure . As if the environmental argument were not enough , I wish someone would explain to me how anybody expects the current growth of our community to continue without any kind of change in our road use and network to cope . It is simply impossible to think that our ageing and overcrowded existing road network will cope with the increase in traffic generated by these new projects . We need a shift on usage patterns .
As always there will be detractors , those that will simply limit themselves to saying no without providing any creditable alternative to the issue . For every one of those , particularly vociferous and hogging of the social networks , there are more that accept and welcome the way forward . Those that think that their children actually deserve better and that a solution must be found . For those people we helped with the cycle route .
We started at 10am from the Small Boats Marina , headed through Reclamation Road towards Queensway Road to Ocean Spa Plaza where we all joined
Bayside Road ' s new bicycle lane , from there it was a gorgeous safe ride through designated bicycle lanes to the Airport Tunnel , round the roundabout by Eastern beach and back in the same direction to Campion Park . The total distance of the route was calculated at 7.4km with a low difficulty level . At Campion Park participants under the age of 16 were awarded GWG ' 23 medals as a well done for completing the cycle route .
The sight of what must have been over 300 cyclist ’ s whole families and people of all ages , safely and happily cycling through our City gave us all a glimpse of what it will be like as more and more of these initiatives are implemented by the authorities .
It was truly an event to open the eyes of those who think that there is no support for this initiative , society must evolve to survive . Gibraltarians have always been forward thinking people , and we have proven it yet again . Well done all , especially all involved in the organization of the event , and see you in the next one !
Of course we must cater for the mobility of all , not just cyclists . But it is now clearly not a matter of what space is left over after we have factored motor vehicle requirements but how best to divide the limited resources , we must make living in Gibraltar healthier and sustainable .
The success of the event is very encouraging and will fuel our determination to support such initiatives .
62 OTWO 48 / JULY 2023