Pedestrianisation vs business
Pedestrianisation projects are attracting tourists and locals to various localities in Malta, but are businesses necessarily reaping the benefits of these projects?
This summer, Malta has been witness to a number of pilot pedestrianisation projects in the localities of Buġibba, Marsascala as well as extended areas in Valletta.
When asked to comment on the success or otherwise of these recent projects, Philip Fenech, president of GRTU's hospitality and leisure division, said that "many people think that pedestrianisation always improves business, but this is not always the case... it is not a question of saying that pedestrianisation works everywhere and anywhere, it is how you pedestrianise, and where you are pedestrianising".
Such projects, said Mr Fenech, give the relevant area a much needed boost in terms of publicity. However, such projects need to have a good traffic management programme coupled with suitable parking facilities.
He said the business equilibrium is altered on the nights of pedestrianisation, as business becomes concentrated on a particular focus-area at the expense of those businesses not found at the centre of activities.
Mr Fenech said that "one has to study the impact of pedestrianisation on different areas so that one can either fine-tune or alternatively abolish the idea altogether".
Charles Borg, a sub-committee member of GRTU, and council member of the Valletta Alive Foundation said it was "early to comment" on the extended pedestrian zones in Valletta.
However, where loading and unloading measures were concerned, he mentioned that they have an understanding with the Ministry of Transport which granted road access for the delivery of goods twice a week between 2.30 and 4.30 p.m. and in the mornings until 9.30 a.m. The ministry is extending these hours until the end of December, but come January, the afternoon deliveries will be reduced to one day a week. This, said Mr Borg, would cause a lot of hardship to those who own shops in these areas. The result is that businesses have to make their employees work overtime so that goods can be delivered to the relative shops.
Mr Borg also commented that it was "totally absurd" for Republic Street to be open to vehicles until 9.30 a.m. and that it "doesn't make sense" for people and tourists to pass through Valletta's main road in the presence of several delivery vans. He feels that no cars should pass from Republic Street, or that at least delivery times should cease at an earlier hour.
Reuben Buttigieg, president of the Marsascala Shop Owners Association, said that the bars and restaurants on Marina Street did very well over the pedestrianised weekend, "with some of the bars even quadrupling their sales", but that shops in other areas within Marsascala registered a decrease in sales.
The main concern and worry of the association is therefore the weakening of other areas in Marsascala which have not been given much importance. The pedestrianisation project on its own is not that positive or beneficial; it needs to be complemented by other measures, such as parking space, the embellishment of the promenade, the organisation of activities and a proper yacht marina, commented Mr Buttigieg. There needs to be a valid reason to come down to Marsascala.
The association had originally also proposed the opening of another road running parallel to St Anne's Street (a one-way street) which was opened as an alternative to Marina Street for traffic flow during the pedestrianised weekend. This could compensate for the negative repercussions of temporarily turning a one-way into a two-way street.
Mr Buttigieg said that the original pedestrianisation project proposal was extended to cover a larger area in Marsascala. Like Mr Fenech, he felt that such a project needs to be enhanced by a proper traffic management plan, and that parking issues also need to be addressed further. Although the service of a park and ride system was provided for the pilot-project, its use was negligible, said Mr Buttigieg.
As a pilot project, however, Mr Buttigieg felt that it was positive in two ways: for the increase in business and crowds attracted to Marina Street and because it proved that closing off a main road did not create the chaos and traffic as had been imagined.
The St Paul's Bay Bars and Restaurants Association did not want to make an official statement about the Buġibba pilot-project. However, a resident and business-owner from Buġibba, said that the pilot pedestrianisation project was generally considered to be a positive step, but that it didn't register an increase in business. They told The Times Business that pedestrianisation projects were not only about financial gain of the individual businesses, but that there were long-term benefits to be reaped, because people had more time to take in their surroundings to notice the various retail shops and businesses. Pedestrianisation ultimately gives people the time and liberty to browse and window shop.
When asked to comment on the success or otherwise of these recent projects, Philip Fenech, president of GRTU's hospitality and leisure division, said that "many people think that pedestrianisation always improves business, but this is not always the case... it is not a question of saying that pedestrianisation works everywhere and anywhere, it is how you pedestrianise, and where you are pedestrianising".
Such projects, said Mr Fenech, give the relevant area a much needed boost in terms of publicity. However, such projects need to have a good traffic management programme coupled with suitable parking facilities.
He said the business equilibrium is altered on the nights of pedestrianisation, as business becomes concentrated on a particular focus-area at the expense of those businesses not found at the centre of activities.
Mr Fenech said that "one has to study the impact of pedestrianisation on different areas so that one can either fine-tune or alternatively abolish the idea altogether".
Charles Borg, a sub-committee member of GRTU, and council member of the Valletta Alive Foundation said it was "early to comment" on the extended pedestrian zones in Valletta.
However, where loading and unloading measures were concerned, he mentioned that they have an understanding with the Ministry of Transport which granted road access for the delivery of goods twice a week between 2.30 and 4.30 p.m. and in the mornings until 9.30 a.m. The ministry is extending these hours until the end of December, but come January, the afternoon deliveries will be reduced to one day a week. This, said Mr Borg, would cause a lot of hardship to those who own shops in these areas. The result is that businesses have to make their employees work overtime so that goods can be delivered to the relative shops.
Mr Borg also commented that it was "totally absurd" for Republic Street to be open to vehicles until 9.30 a.m. and that it "doesn't make sense" for people and tourists to pass through Valletta's main road in the presence of several delivery vans. He feels that no cars should pass from Republic Street, or that at least delivery times should cease at an earlier hour.
Reuben Buttigieg, president of the Marsascala Shop Owners Association, said that the bars and restaurants on Marina Street did very well over the pedestrianised weekend, "with some of the bars even quadrupling their sales", but that shops in other areas within Marsascala registered a decrease in sales.
The main concern and worry of the association is therefore the weakening of other areas in Marsascala which have not been given much importance. The pedestrianisation project on its own is not that positive or beneficial; it needs to be complemented by other measures, such as parking space, the embellishment of the promenade, the organisation of activities and a proper yacht marina, commented Mr Buttigieg. There needs to be a valid reason to come down to Marsascala.
The association had originally also proposed the opening of another road running parallel to St Anne's Street (a one-way street) which was opened as an alternative to Marina Street for traffic flow during the pedestrianised weekend. This could compensate for the negative repercussions of temporarily turning a one-way into a two-way street.
Mr Buttigieg said that the original pedestrianisation project proposal was extended to cover a larger area in Marsascala. Like Mr Fenech, he felt that such a project needs to be enhanced by a proper traffic management plan, and that parking issues also need to be addressed further. Although the service of a park and ride system was provided for the pilot-project, its use was negligible, said Mr Buttigieg.
As a pilot project, however, Mr Buttigieg felt that it was positive in two ways: for the increase in business and crowds attracted to Marina Street and because it proved that closing off a main road did not create the chaos and traffic as had been imagined.
The St Paul's Bay Bars and Restaurants Association did not want to make an official statement about the Buġibba pilot-project. However, a resident and business-owner from Buġibba, said that the pilot pedestrianisation project was generally considered to be a positive step, but that it didn't register an increase in business. They told The Times Business that pedestrianisation projects were not only about financial gain of the individual businesses, but that there were long-term benefits to be reaped, because people had more time to take in their surroundings to notice the various retail shops and businesses. Pedestrianisation ultimately gives people the time and liberty to browse and window shop.