Battle for parking on campus

Making it to university in time for a lecture has become a struggle for students having to deal with infrequent buses and 1,417 rationed car spaces, catering for 11,500 students, academics and administrative staff.

The problem is twofold, students have complained: on one hand there are nowhere near enough car spaces to go round, while on the other hand, the bus service to the university also has to cope with servicing the neighbouring Mater Dei Hospital and the Junior College down the road in Msida.

A few years ago, the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) introduced a number of direct bus routes to cope with the influx of students commuting to the University of Malta and Junior College on a daily basis. These same direct buses now have to cope with all those visiting the new hospital. There are at present 10 buses on direct routes to university and Mater Dei and six of them also make a stop at Junior College.

Students have also complained that the buses are often scheduled at awkward times. Most direct routes are served by an hourly service which is often not enough and the time slot often fails to cater for students needs. The 890 bus from Siġġiewi, for instance, leaves either at 6.35 a.m. or 7.45 a.m., which in practice means that a student from that village wanting to make an 8 a.m. lecture (the first lecture) would have to catch the bus at 6.35 a.m.

The alternative (going by car) is not that appealing either. Two weeks into the academic year parking spaces have already become as precious as gold. Around 1,150 students have already applied for a car permit, with a deluge of more applications expected in the coming weeks.

The university had introduced a new parking system of colour-coded car spaces, which students, lecturers and other staff had to apply for, but the system is not coping.

The University Students' Council (KSU), which handles the students' applications, said that last year 4,928 applied for a parking permit.

Adrian Abela, a first-year architecture student from Fgura, said that due to the unreliable bus service he often gets to university late, especially when his lectures start at 8 a.m.

By the time the direct bus to university passes by his bus stop, it is generally full, he complained.

Similarly, Roderick Muscat, a third-year year commerce student, also complained about public transport, saying that the direct bus routes were too long and covered too many towns and villages. He said the buses were infrequent and suggested that the ADT should introduce additional bus journeys, especially during the academic year.

The Times went on campus to have a look at the parking situation, which as early as 9 a.m. reflected the sporadic complaints that reached our offices.

A number of students' cars were making use of every nook and cranny available, while several cars were driving frustratedly around in the hope of finding some soul leaving the campus.

Ironically, this took place while dozens of white slots reserved for staff, both in the ring road and in the infamous car park no. 6, were left unoccupied.

Students who would rather not be named complained that the situation had reached a point that they sometimes ended up parking in Swatar or even Rue d'Argens.

Academics also had their say. A lecturer from the History of Art department, who did not wish to be named, felt that the ratio between the allocated spaces for academic and administrative staff was disproportionate in favour of the latter. Moreover, all lecturers' spaces were too distant from the faculties. Although the concept is good, the system is badly organised, he said.

The Times tried contacting ADT for its comments and to see whether it had any intention of introducing additional buses on direct routes to university. The KSU was also asked for its opinion about the situation but in both cases no response was forthcoming by the time we went to print.