ADPD: Metro public consultation useless unless all studies made available to public

Unsuitable public consultation on metro could have detrimental effects on the environmental, public spaces and historical heritage

Green Party ADPF said the public consultation on Malta light-rail metro will be useless unless all the studies are made available to the public. 

ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said it would have detrimental effects on the environmental, public spaces and historical heritage. “When one considers all the known information, the Metro proposal is not suitable. It creates too many environmental problems and is a threat to both existing public spaces and our historical heritage.” 

He said the traffic congestion was a reflection in the exponential increase in the number of cars on the roads, and that the massive road infrastructure projects at Marsa, Kappara and Central Link are a waste of resources, had shifted the problem to other zones.

“The effective solution addressing traffic congestion is the creation of alternatives to the use of private cars, aiming at their reduction as a result of a facilitated mobility. This is the aim to be achieved by mass transport: helping people to travel short or long distances.”

He added that there are alternatives to an underground metro, including a Bus Rapid Transit, overland tram and an elevated metro. 

“The ARUP underground Metro signifies millions of cubic metres of excavation waste, which, it is being hinted should go towards land reclamation. Malta was always very cautious and very rarely resorted to land reclamation. We hope that after ruin on land as a result of overdevelopment, it is now not the turn of our marine environment to be ruined, using the Metro as an excuse.”

ADPD candidate and Deputy Chairperson Mark Zerafa, emphasised that the little public spaces that Malta has should be respected and that the metro proposal would be developed part of the public garden at Gnien l-Istazzjon.

“This eliminates one of B’Kara’s lungs. The introduction of mass transport facilities should improve the quality of life of our residents: it should not make it worse!” said Zerafa.

Mario Mallia, also Deputy Chairperson and ADPD candidate for Birkirkara stated that the public transport around the locality is “very weak” and required substantial investment in order to support a mass transport system.

READ MORE: Three-line Metro system proposed for national discussion