Cabinet approves White Paper on Valletta traffic

The Cabinet yesterday approved a White Paper intended to reduce the enormous number of cars that enter Floriana and Valletta every day.

Government Investments Minister Austin Gatt will be presenting the White Paper to the media this morning and will then submit it for public deliberation for a five-week period. The government is proposing to impose parking fees on every vehicle entering Valletta except those of residents and delivery vans, to pedestrianise more roads and do away with reserved parking in an initiative set to bring about a drastic change to the way traffic is managed in and around the capital city.

The strategy, drawn up by the Cabinet Committee for National Projects headed by Dr Gatt, was submitted to all interested parties in the last couple of months, including the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises, environment NGOs and taxi drivers' representatives.

The planned park-and-ride scheme forms an integral part of the strategy. The Lm200,000 project will allow drivers to park at Belt il-Hazna, outside Floriana, and catch an electric bus into Valletta.

The project, works on which may currently be seen at Blata l-Bajda, is intended to shift a large volume of vehicles from the city to the 950-vehicle car park. The fare for parking up to a whole day, together with the shuttle service, is not expected to be more than 60c.

About 34,500 people who work in Valletta and Floriana commute in their own cars, according to an internal government study. The study shows that since 1991 the use of public transport has declined by three per cent a year, with people making more use of private cars.

All the parking spaces available - nearly 3,000 - are full by 8 a.m. and remain occupied until 5 p.m., which means little or no parking space for the residents, shoppers and visitors.