Traffic problems

I have been following the spate of letters regarding traffic management in Attard with a great deal of interest. As a Saracene, as those of us raised in this village are called, and as an MP who has been representing the people of Attard for the past 10 years in Parliament, I felt duty bound to give my modest contribution to the debate.

I was raised in Triq il-Linja (Old Railway Track), Attard. My friends and I would play football at L-Istazzjon, now known as Gnien L-Istazzjon. Both these terms are evidence of the fact that Attard formed part of the unpretentious railway link between our capital city and the central part of the island in the first quarter of the 20th century. Little else remains.

The quaint stone bridge that made our part of Old Railway Track practically a cul-de-sac was removed in the early 1980s to make way for a wider road and the same roadworks obliterated the little that was left of the peculiar retaining wall that bordered the original tracks. The last traces of the railway line at L-Istazzjon have now been paved over.

Attard's position in the heart of Malta ensured its inclusion in this part of Malta's transport heritage. It is, perhaps unfortunately, also ensuring that this otherwise tranquil village has become part of Malta's modern road network linking the north to the central and southern parts of the island.

Attard still retains a great deal of the charm that drew my family to it in the early 1970s but this fact is making life unbearable for residents in some parts of this otherwise residential area especially during the rush hour. Roads like Triq il-Linja and Triq il-Ghenba are choked with traffic during this time of the day.

Having followed the correspondence in question, I would like to start by saying that it is extremely unfair to point fingers at the local council and to intimate that it is ignoring the issue. I have been consulting members of the council in my efforts to alleviate matters for some time now. They have always been eager to help and it is obvious they are fully aware of the situation. I have also consulted with ADT officials and tried to push for some form of solution.

It is easier said than done.

Introducing a one-way system in certain roads will not only lead to a great deal of inconvenience to the residents affected but could simply mean shifting the problem from one zone to another. The main problem lies with the closure of Mosta Road due to the primary school during the peak traffic hour. No one in his right mind can fault this measure, which ensures optimal safety for students, but this undoubtedly leads to further congestion in other roads.

In the coming months, I will be pushing for the provision of a parking space in the vicinity of the school. This would not only facilitate parking for parents driving their children to school and make it even safer for them to enter and leave school but will also relieve the congestion in other roads.

I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion that haphazard parking in zones such as the roads leading to San Anton Gardens should be dealt with so that no effort is spared in trying to facilitate the flow of traffic.

I would also like to comment on the negative attitude towards the speed camera installed a few metres away from the Attard cemetery. I pushed for its installation with the Ministry for Transport and was satisfied that my suggestion was taken up in a matter of weeks. This black spot has been the scene of many an accident in the past which can be directly attributed to overspeeding. To claim that the camera is only effective for cars coming from Rabat is incorrect as evidenced by the number of speeding tickets issued to drivers coming from the Valletta direction. The number of lives affected by tragic accidents in this area provides ample justification for the camera in question.

The traffic problems being faced by Attard are common to many a town and village on the island. The number of cars on our roads has surely reached saturation point and I sincerely feel the only realistic solution is to go for more efficient and dependable means of public transport. Sooner or later we will have to do so. It might as well be sooner. The alternative is to wait for the time when total gridlock is the order of the day, a possibility that is not as far-fetched as it may sound.

Dr Pullicino Orlando is a Nationalist Member of Parliament.