|
James Debono
Traffic plans for Sliema were unveiled last week in a meeting between the Qui-Si-Sana residents’ committee and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett. Former Sliema mayor and Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo was also present in the meeting.
Residents were shown the same plans viewed by the Sliema PN councillors a few weeks ago. A consultation meeting with residents has now been set for the second week of December.
The plans include the pedestrianisation of Bisazza Street and a small part of Tower Road and a substantial reduction of parking at the ferries and along the Tigné sea-front. Some shopowners and residents are concerned pedestrianisation will shift business and traffic to the Qui-Si-Sana and Tigné areas where new commercial development connected to the MIDI project and the controversial Qui-Si-Sana car park, is set to take place.
According to the plans, access from Tower Road to Ghar id-Dud is to be blocked after the Joinwell showroom, while Bisazza Street is to be pedestrianised. Only certain route buses will be allowed to pass along this street.
Residents are concerned pedestrianisation will drive traffic into Tigné Street, which is to be changed to one way up, increasing the traffic into the interior of Tigné and Qui-Si-Sana.
In order to relieve problems in Tigné, residents are suggesting that Tower Road be kept open to traffic from a one way direction, improving access to the High Street car park.
Qui-Si-Sana residents also expressed concern about the volume of traffic passing through the Tigné-Qui-si-sana coast would be unbearable, causing jams and tailbacks.
The Minister told residents traffic volumes would be close to 3,000 cars every hour at peak time.
Residents also expressed concern that traffic will be diverted to short cuts across the Tigné peninsula, up Hughes Hallett and Locker streets and down St Anthony street, causing gridlocks and generating intolerable levels of noise and fumes in a residential area.
One suggestion made by the minister’s technical advisor during the meeting was that of closing Bisazza Street during shopping hours only.
During the meeting, the minister however did not wish to discuss the Qui-Si-Sana car park, telling residents the car park was necessary to ensure the MIDI project has sufficient parking spaces.
According to the plans, the Qui-Si-Sana underground car park will be at street level on the seafront beside the gardens nearby.
The possibility of extending the MIDI tunnel all the way to Ghar id-Dud was also discussed. Residents suggested an alternative exit on to Ghar id-Dud and the minister has agreed to investigate the possibility.
Reduced ferries car park
The plans show a reduced car park at the Sliema ferries, down to some 40 spaces from the present 300. Visitors will be forced to resort to park their cars in the proposed car parks planned for Qui-Si-Sana and Tigné.
The proposal is in line with the North Harbour Local Plan presented back in 2000 which states that the ferries car park should be upgraded as “a major new public open space to replace the existing car park.”
The plan also states that the ferries car park will be allowed to function till “the proposed Qui-Si-Sana car park is operational.”
During the meeting the minister made it clear that these plans could still be revised and he welcomed suggestions made by residents for improved parking along the ferries. The Minister will soon be meeting delegation of shopkeepers.
Ironically, the Sliema local council had asked the Department of Local Councils for the devolution of the surface car park at the Ferries into the council’s hands. It turns out that the council is asking for the devolution of a parking space which could simply disappear.
As late as August 2005 the department had reminded the Lands Department of the Sliema council’s request.
For the past 18 years the car park in question was managed by private parker Anthony Borg, who told MaltaToday he has never been consulted on plans for the car park: “I am used to people taking measurements and saying the car park will be taken for some purpose or another. But nobody talks to me.”
Borg also told MaltaToday he is “waiting for the guillotine”, as he has nobody to defend him.
But not everyone is satisfied with the service offered by this parker. In September the local council had written to the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) to register complaints made by residents on overcharging. The Sliema Council also asked ADT’s assistance in its request to take over control of the car park.
An ADT spokesperson for ADT told MaltaToday it had recently warned the parker but could not take legal action as long as the complainants would not appear as witnesses in Court.
Shopkeepers’ reaction
While shopkeepers are unanimous in opposing the closure of the ferries car park, they remain divided over whether Bisazza Street should be pedestrianised or not. Some even said they would not even like Tower Road to be pedestrianised.
Philip Micallef, the owner of Victor’s Jewellery in Tower Road, believes that if the environment is improved, business would also benefit. He also insists those employees, owners and bank employees who already use half of the parking space in the Ferries are leaving little space for visitors.
His father Joe however disagrees, saying that when Tower Road was closed due to road works some time ago all business stopped: “it was like a cemetery.” He also thinks that removing the ferries car park will also kill business in the area.
Some owners and employees expressed their concern that the closure of the ferries car park and the pedestrianisation of Bisazza Street are part of a plan to shift business to Tigné: “by reducing surface parking, visitors and employees will be forced to pay to park their cars in the Qui-Si-Sana and Tigné car parks. Everything is being planned to shift business to MIDI. Their aim is to kill business here in order to promote business there,” employee George Bonnici told MaltaToday.
Lady Land owner Sylvana Debono concurs: “with the opening of car parks and outlets in Tigné and Qui-Si-Sana business will shift there.” She also expressed her concern that if traffic is stopped, business will decrease further.
Cellini’s Maruis Tonna supports the pedestrianisation but insists that the ferries car park should be retained: “people do not like to shop walking on dangerous pavements while inhaling exhaust,” Tonna said.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
|
