Park & Ride mostly empty during the day, says Labour MP

Half-million in parking funds for park and ride ‘up in smoke’ says Labour MP

1 November 2011, 12:00am

1 min read

Labour’s spokesperson for planning and MEPA board member Roderick Galdes has accused the authority of blowing €580,000 on the park and ride area at Hornworks Ditch in Floriana, only to charge money for using the area.

“During the day, the parking in this area has drastically reduced and it is almost empty all day long. This shows the lack of planning by government for a strategy to address transport problems to the capital city,” Galdes said.

The Labour MP said the park and ride was financed by the commuted public parking scheme, but the investment had now gone up in smoke. “Motorists are expected to fork up to €500 to use this facility on a daily basis,” Galdes said.

Luke Camilleri •

Why was Arriva entrusted with parking as well as transport? It's chaos enough with transport but giving that priceless bit of ground as a source of income from parking is just rubbing in the salt into the wound of commuters leaving them no option but to use Arrive Transport disservice due to high tariffs of parking at the Park & Ride! . Arriva increased the charges on a service that was to remain and promised tube free and reduce traffic into Valletta and was doing fine ! Why give it off to Arriva, an income generating piece of land? Give the Park & Ride back to the people.... in the same way you are restoring back the bus routes as these were originally!

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Another fiaso by the 'outstanding doer' in the PM's cabinet, Augostino Gatt.

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They have turned Valletta into a ghost city,probably just as well.With the new Parliament building the last thing I want to do is walk into Valletta and be faced by politicans,enough to ruin anyone's day.