George G. Debono, Sliema
The streets and squares as social space
In his letter Soul Of Xagħra Village Now A Safer Place (December 5), Paul Miruzzi, director general of the Government Property Division, states that the enforcement action in the square of Xagħra took place after a number of reports about the unlawful placing of furniture beyond the delineated boundaries. Did it occur to Mr Miruzzi that it may have been a case of few people making a lot of noise? Might these people have been annoyed because their parking space was encroached? Has it occurred to Mr Miruzzi that such outside tables and the consequent improvement in street social life enhance such open spaces - as they do in countless squares abroad as, say, in Rome or Paris? Is it preferable to turn our squares into parking areas?
Readers were also informed that "an elderly woman was run over by a car some days before the enforcement took place because she could not use the pavement due to the illegal obstructions on the pavement". Did Mr Miruzzi check in the first place that the alleged accident did actually take place? I have been told that there is no record of such an accident. If this is indeed the case, is it correct for a government official to make a statement without verifying its correctness?
If such an accident did indeed take place it merely proves that cars are dangerous. In any event, a large empty square is more conducive to speeding traffic than a more congenial square thronged with tables and people.
The thinking behind such death squads of street social life is blatantly retrograde. Without further ado I quote the following to describe a less antiquated attitude: A "Woonerf" (or "Home Zone System", "Wohnstrasse") is a radical approach to taming and decreasing vehicle traffic. It allows quality of life to take precedence over traffic movement by giving pedestrians and cyclists priority over motorists so that children can play safely outside and only allowing cars to drive at strictly controlled slow speeds. Such areas have no pavements, the road surface or texture is changed, typically with cobblestones or brick, to make the car ride noisy and prompt motorists to drive at a slow speed, trees are planted and benches installed. Vehicles must proceed at walking speed and the street is closed to through traffic and non-residents cannot park their car.
I beg the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism to help revise this pathetically old-fashioned attitude of getting people off the road and adopt the more progressive, modern approach of recognising the social aspect of the street. Contrary to what Mr Miruzzi's letter implies, a more cluttered road is a safer road. If Mario de Marco were to wave a magic wand and turn Xagħra Square into a cobblestone-paved area with no pavement, add plenty of trees (to provide shade) and benches in addition to the restaurant tables and impose a 5kph speed limit, old ladies would be able to negotiate the square with impunity - not to mention the enjoyment it would provide to locals and tourists alike. All Malta's squares should be given back to the people in this way and not to cars.
Finally, restaurateurs are happy to pay a fair price for using the public space for others to enjoy - so much for all those fiercely accusing them of abusing public space. One problem is a seeming conflict between permissions given by Mepa and Land Department.
I made it a point to visit Xagħra Square this very weekend and it is looks like a dreary car park. Congratulations to all those responsible.
(Much of the contents of the TPPI Think Tank report, Towards A Low Carbon Society, The Nation's Health, Energy Security And Fossil Fuels, impinge on the question of social aspects of street design. This report is obtainable on request from gdmc@kemmunet.net.mt).
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Daniel magrin
Dec 18th 2008, 18:56
To Lawrence Camillieri
As you now to there are still vans and truks in the middle of the square and making business with out permit ....How come you never say noting about this truks????????
Lawrence Camilleri
Dec 16th 2008, 01:43
@Daniel Magrin - You must know well enough more than anyone else how much more
dangerous parking in Victory Square in Xaghra was prior to enforcement action being taken. Parking still leaves much to be desired but this is all due to wardens being conspicuous there with their absence or turning Nelson's eye when passing through the Square. Now at least no vans park in the middle of the Square.
George Debono
Dec 13th 2008, 15:28
Tony Y
ou say: "if you owned a flat in Marsalforn or Xlendi and everytime you use your door you have to negotiate around a table full of loud beer drinking hooligans, and you are too scared to say excuse me because they start an argument and the usual insults?"
What I am talking about is not a free-for-all. Firstly, the restaurateurs or bar owners must pay for the privilege and it must be conditional on certain limitations like civilised closing times and non-obstruction and the sites where such outside tables are permitted should be clearly defined. If there is GENUINE cause for complaint then the permission should be withdrawn.
Having said that, I am a serial breaker of the law on my bike and ride on pavements where it is unsafe on the main road (pleeeez don't report me!) I have, on countless occasions when shopping there, ridden my bike along the Gzira pavement (where traffic is murderous!) and often weave without getting off the bike between tables occupied by beer swilling guys (why call them hooligans?) - I have never ever noticed the least trace of resentment etc.
Sadly we are acrowded island and must make compromises accordingly.
George Debono
Dec 13th 2008, 15:13
Mr Galea
I disagree (an opinion and not pontification)
1)We simply use our cars too much, walk too little, and use bike not at all - unfortunately we have a rotten public transport - this is the nub of the problem.
2) there is exceedingly high ownership of cars in Malta (sadly the car is a powerful status symbol too.
3) People who live in Urban sprawls eg London, Paris do not own cars because it is impossible to park or move. Malta is fast approaching that situation. We have become an urbanised environment where cars will soon be impractical. As far as I am concerned I find a bike more convenient & use it if I have no passenger or excessive load - even at my venerable age of 72. NO PARKING PROBEMS!!!!
4)Is it right to expect parking space at the expense of well-being of pedestrians, kids, mothers pushing prams? Not to mention cyclists?
5) If you have read part IV of my report you would realise the health implications of pollution & lack of physical exercise.
Something must give……at least there should be some balance, as it is there too much emphasis on cars,cars, cars,.
g
bmillam
Dec 13th 2008, 14:30
when one is house / flat hunting, one should look out for the less likable parts as well as the better parts. if you wish to live in such a neighborhood you know what to expect. if you don't like it move.
Tony Stivala
Dec 13th 2008, 14:17
To George and all those foreign residents and holiday makers alike: Forget about Xaghra Parish Square which now is the proper size it should be, thank God. But how do you like it if you owned a flat in Marsalforn or Xlendi and everytime you use your door you have to negotiate around a table full of loud beer drinking hooligans, and you are too scared to say excuse me because they start an argument and the usual insults? Even better how would you like me to come outside your house and lay a table and six chairs and after a bellyfull of beer we start singing at the top of our voices till the early hours in the morning?
b millam
Dec 13th 2008, 14:12
correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it the public that use the tables and chairs outside, if the public didn't want to use them then I'm shore they would not be there. should all benches be removed just because you don't use them or like them. the restaurants are making a profit from there sales i am shore they do not charge you to sit down.
Daniel Magrin
Dec 13th 2008, 14:05
MR Galea
Can you come and see xaghra square how it is today and how people park there cars....I think there is now more danger .....
lgalea
Dec 13th 2008, 13:24
Dear George,
while agreeing that our streets should not only be for vehicles, today's life demands use of vehicles which have to have parking spaces.
Re restaurants, mis-sebgha hadu l-id, and they have constantly encroached upon PUBLIC space for which they were not paying, closing down pavements and even placing tables in the streets endangering pedestrians, e.g. at Marsalforn.
Other countries have big squares and wide roads where they can afford to allow some tables for a very limited time, couple of hours and not all day, e.g Grand Place.
Consider how the square in front of St John's co-Cathedral and the National Library had been turned into money-milking machines at the expense of the PUBLIC, how the road leading to Fort St Angelo has been narrowed to one lane and the arch leading to it-Toqba and Kalkara has been privatized and closed to traffic to allow the placing of tables for commercial enterprises to increase their profit by having more tables at the PUBLIC expense.
Consider Ghadira and other bays occupation with deckchairs leaving no space for the public to take their own.
Shall we continue to lose PUBLIC space? NO
George Debono
Dec 13th 2008, 12:09
Mr Galea
Well, I'm glad you agree with me on one thing!
What is wrong with somebody making profit if it provides enjoyment and enhancement?
Restaurateurs are quite happy to pay for the privilege. So what's the problem? Our streets are horribly dreary exactly because they are only built for traffic & parking. Sadly, the vocabulary of our unimaginative street planners does not extend much beyond outdated concepts like one way streets and speed humps. Times have changed it is time to move on & get out of old mind-sets - unfortunately we remain too car-obsessed and non-progressive in Malta.
I still insist that streets are not only for vehicles - & not for kids & mums & cyclists & socialising. Take Zebbug in Gozo - there is not one shop or restaurant in the town. The streets are empty - it is like a ghost town. Ugh !
If you are bothered by outside tables, how much more do you mind people making profit from huge real estate developments which PERMANENTLY destroy more countryside to Malta's detriment? These people also pollute horribly & literally destroy our roads & environment (heavy vehicles) and surroundings to build.
G
lgalea
Dec 13th 2008, 11:06
I am sorry that while I agree with you on energy conservation etc although sometimes it verges on the extreme, I do not agree with you on public spaces George.
PUBLIC spaces should be kept PUBLIC and not privatized for private persons to make profit from.