Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
Are there any plans to swap the buses in Gibral-
tar for Hybrids/Electrics? And how about the
taxi’s and incentivising the buses that do the air-
port/border routes to upgrade to more eco-friend-
ly alternatives?
I have plans that need to be discussed at cabinet
level with my colleagues, should we be re-elected into
Government. We need to work closely with the pri-
vate bus and minibus operators to consider how best
we may be able to actively encourage and support
them to upgrade their fleets to more modern and en-
vironmentally friendly vehicles. Modern buses today
can cost anything from £300,000 and £500,000 plus
so it would be perhaps unreasonable to expect that
companies overhaul their fleets within a very short
period of time. There needs to be planning for that.
Government will engage promptly with stakeholders
to discuss potential options to see a rejuvenation of
the current fleets operating within Gibraltar.
It is clear that if we want to become an environ-
mentally friendly city, we need to encourage and sup-
port our businesses to get there. Today import duty for
commercial vehicles is zero and there are cash-back
incentives to encourage the transition to electric and
hybrid vehicles. We will build on this in the future.
We have been looking for a successor for our very
reliable MAN fleet within the Gibraltar Bus Com-
pany for well over a year now. The problem we are
facing is that Gibraltar’s unique topography severe-
ly limits our choice and a bus for our specific needs
cannot be bought off the shelf. We recently tested
an electric bus in Gibraltar and it failed. There are
just too many specific requirements, buses cannot be
longer than 9m, they must have a short wheel base
to handle some of our tightest corners, must have
sufficient torque to climb steep hills fully laden and
with air-conditioning. Battery range is also a major
factor to consider and the need to perhaps look at
opportunistic charging on route to be able to carry
out a full day’s work. Then we need to be sensitive to
lower level seating which is what users want while
having ample space for wheelchairs and buggies, no
mean feat.
We also tested the new London electric taxis
which also failed to climb our hills with 5 passen-
gers on board from a stopped start. Nevertheless, as
technology advances we are now seeing other elec-
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tric vehicles starting to reach the mark which could
potentially be an option for the trade.
How do you think we can encourage more people
to use public transport on a more regular basis?
One of the most important factors when it comes
to an efficient and reliable bus service is frequency.
If bus frequency is good it encourages more people
to use the service as waiting for the bus ceased to
become a problem. Currently some routes operate
every 20 min and some routes every half hour, we
also have the bus tracker app which helps tremen-
dously. In fact, the bus tracker has been, by far, the
biggest and best advancement the bus service has
seen to date.
There is a fine balance between having a very fre-
quent bus service, which requires more buses and
more bus drivers, keeping a free bus service for lo-
cals and providing value for money for the tax payer.
There are really only about 2-3 peak hours each day
when the bus has a very high demand, out of these
peak times, the bus service being provided is more
than adequate. It will be a very happy moment the
day we see buses full at all hours as it would mean
that people are opting for more sustainable modes
of transport.
Are there any moves to ensure or even just en-
courage private companies to change their fleet
of vehicles to more current models that are less
polluting?
When the time comes to consider replacing a
fleet for electric or hybrid vehicles, cost is arguable
the most important factor to consider. There are al-
ready incentives in place to support companies but
businesses should also aim to include environmen-
tal attributes into their business plans as we are all
responsible for our environment and we all have to
contribute. Government will always work together
to support, encourage and incentivise companies to
become more environmentally friendly and therefore
contribute to a healthier and better community for all.
I am passionate about cargo bikes and their
huge potential in the business community in terms
of “last-mile” delivery. Many cities are using cargo
bikes in their business operations to great success
and have seen the relocation of entire offices using
this form of transport. In this respect, incentivisation
may come in many forms which could even include
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