Resident Parking Zone

I refer to the letter by Simon Camilleri (January 28). Presumably Mr Camilleri is commenting on my contribution (January 19) where I argued in favour of the pedestrianisation of Bisazza Street and Tower Road and hence the diverting of traffic from Sliema's commercial centre to the peripheral road around Tigné peninsula. Mr Camilleri did not argue against this so I take it that he is now agreeing to these proposals.

In my correspondence I simply quoted from Mr Camilleri's letter and expressed disagreement with his views. As to why he should consider this as a personal attack is beyond me. On the other hand, Mr Camilleri chooses to use adjectives very loosely when referring to me and to other Nationalist councillors. I advise him to refrain from resorting to personal attacks on persons who, after all, give their time and effort as councillors in the interest of the locality.

I will not enter into a discussion on the proposed car park. I will just say, however, that I am convinced that in the long run, Sliema, including Tigné, will require additional off-street parking. This will be needed because of the high demand by visitors to Sliema and to compensate for some loss in parking for visitors which will result from the Resident Parking Zone. I do not believe that parking provided in the major developments in the area will suffice because these developments will be catering for their own needs.

For fairness sake, I should however point out a number of inaccuracies in Mr Camilleri's letter. He claims a full floor of the development is to be raised by three metres above the current level of the street. Clearly he has misread the development brief. Rest assured that the local council would have been the first to object had there been any truth in this claim.

Mr Camilleri also states that "packaged with the Qui-Si-Sana car park comes the removal of all parking from the Ferries..." As far as I know the Malta Transport Authority is treating the two as totally different issues. The reduction in parking at the Ferries is required for technical issues related to the upgrading of the traffic road and has nothing to do with the provision or otherwise of parking on the other side of the peninsula.

The most obvious and blatant error in Mr Camilleri's letter is his reference to the Resident Parking Zone, which he claims "... intends to turn our parking problem into a cash cow, milking Sliema residents ..." Mr Camilleri should be well aware that the local council has applied to the Malta Transport Authority for a Resident Parking Zone in Sliema to provide free parking for residents. The RPZ as proposed by the council will provide 50 per cent of the parking spaces for the unlimited use of residents. Visitors will be allowed to park in these spaces but only for a very limited time period. The local council has no intention to charge residents for use of these spaces nor will there be a limit on the number of cars per household that will be able to use these spaces (provided the car owner is a bona fide resident).

Mr Camilleri chooses to extrapolate and derive conclusions from the development brief which are totally fictitious and distant from reality. Decisions on the Resident Parking Zone will be taken by the Sliema council. Parking in the Resident Parking Zone will be free for residents and there is nothing contained in the development brief which could change that.

Mr Camilleri claims that my patronising tone will not fool anyone. With so many inaccuracies in his statements may I suggest that it is Mr Camilleri who is fooling himself and anyone else who cares to believe him.