Traffic in Floriana

It seems that Georg Sapiano considers himself to be the know all and be all of everything, interrupting the speakers on the panel.

This is what he did to the Floriana mayor Publius Agius, not allowing him to explain his case.

First of all, Mr Agius should have been assisted by another person who is well versed on traffic matters. In fact, together with Nigel Holland, when I was still a councillor two-and-a-half years ago, I had written a long memo on the organised disorganisation at the Floriana bus terminus, traffic flow and residential parking with valid suggestions but the ADT kept this memo in the drawer and did nothing as Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett told me it was not passed on to him.

Firstly, the 4,000 individuals who work in Floriana cannot benefit from the Park and Ride as the stop suggested near the American Embassy has not been approved.

Secondly, Floriana residents who mostly reside near St Anne Street area cannot board a bus and have to travel to Valletta on foot even when it rains in winter and in the scorching summer sun. It is suggested that the Florianites should be able to board the minibus to Valletta.

Thirdly, St Anne Street has become a race track as a policeman or a warden is never seen booking drivers for overspeeding. A speed camera to punish such defaulters, as requested by the council, was refused. Again the traffic lights are not giving enough time for elderly people to cross.

The 500 reserved parking spaces from the 3,000 available are not exorbitant but reasonable, while the council's request to administer the parking spaces near the Phoenicia and on the Granaries is essential to prevent the parker-sharks earning thousands of liri that are needed by the council to repair the streets and footpaths dented by 40,000 cars that pass through Floriana.

I appeal to Florianites to speak to their MPs not to allow the ADT to make them second-class citizens and also to back Mr Agius in his fight for residential parking and better traffic management.