Park and ride works continue during weekends

Road works on the proposed Park and Ride system in Blata l-Bajda are being carried out also during weekends "to avoid traffic congestion during the rest of the week", a spokesman for the Roads Ministry said yesterday.

The junction next to the Museum chapel in Blata l-Bajda - where works have been going on for the past weeks - is being modified so that traffic from Marsa to Floriana will cross over to Crown Works and Horn Works without drivers having to go all the way into Floriana, around the War Memorial roundabout, and back.

The final stage of the works, which involves bringing the existing road to a lower level in order to link December 13 Road and the parking area, will entail the closure of the road to traffic for a time, the spokesman said.

"We want to avoid congestion when many would be driving into Valletta for work, especially during the rush hours," the spokesman said, explaining the closure of the road during weekends.

A number of drivers have complained, however, that not enough signs have been put up to warn drivers about roadworks hazards when approaching Blata l-Bajda from Marsa. A number of policemen were yesterday seen controlling traffic while the works were going on.

The Park and Ride scheme, into which the government will invest Lm430,000, is expected to start operating at the end of next May.

The government plans to abolish the V licence to enter Valletta, while drivers will be encouraged to park their cars at Crown Works and Horn Works and continue the rest of their journey to Valletta by electric van.

The maximum parking rate for a day is targeted at 60c, a week's ticket would cost Lm2.20, a monthly ticket Lm12.15 and a ticket for a year would set the commuter back Lm118.