Efforts to ease Victoria traffic problem

Victoria council strongly believes that traffic and parking problems in Victoria could be greatly reduced if heavy vehicles are prevented from passing through the centre during rush hours.

This was stated by the mayor, Vivienne Galea Pace, who added that the council has taken several measures to try and alleviate traffic and reduce problems with parking.

Speaking to The Sunday Times the mayor said that drivers have been urged to use secondary roads whenever possible to reduce traffic in Victoria.

Also the parking dial in Zone A, which restricts parking to one and a half hours, is not being enforced in the afternoon.

"During August the problem gets worse because of the large number of holiday-makers visiting Gozo to take part in the feast of Santa Marija," she said.

Apart from the normal parking areas behind the bus terminus there are also three paying parking areas near the Citadel, the school grounds in Fortunato Mizzi Street and the grounds behind the Oratory in St Augustine Square. The mayor added that their council has decided to request the Traffic Control Board's approval to close the top part of Republic Street, to heavy vehicles on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The council has also requested that pelican lights be installed in Fortunato Mizzi Street, corner with Civic Council Street, after receiving a petition by various residents.

"Several streets have also been marked as one-way streets. There is not much else that can be done in this area since it can cause great inconvenience to our commercial centre," she said.

Gozo Tourism Association Secretary Joe Muscat said that the heavy traffic in Victoria is primarily due to the lack of public transport in Gozo. He told The Sunday Times that if public transport was to become more reliable and frequent more commuters would use it, thus reducing traffic congestion. He also referred to the lack of local wardens to direct the traffic especially during peak hours.

More parking spaces need to be installed and the central parking area in Victoria needs to be enlarged, and better organised to meet the demand, he said.