Michelle Caruana, Swatar
Residents' parking in Swatar
I want to ask establishments in Swatar, such as the HSBC Call Centre and Tower Business Centre, why, when planning and developing their premises, they failed to adequately take employees' parking facilities into consideration.
I live in the area and it has become a serious issue trying to find a parking space within walking distance of home. Employees are parking in residential areas and obviously occupying spaces from early morning till quite late at night, usually well after office hours.
This lack of proper parking facilities for employees is, to say the least, disrespectful to the local residents who have lost their right to park in comfort at any time of the day. We are experiencing difficulties and this is creating frustration and inconvenience to everyone here, particularly working adults and with small children.
Will HSBC and Tower Business Centre be doing something about this issue soon? I believe that Tower Business Centre does not provide parking facilities and HSBC's current parking spaces are surely not enough. To add insult to injury, even if parking spaces are available along the main road (Triq it-Torri), employees choose to park near our homes.
I expect HSBC to take proper measures to alleviate the residents' parking problems for which, after all, it is partly responsible. The Tower Business Centre should also take action, as well as similar building which is in a well advanced stage of construction, which I believe will be housing APS Bank's new centralised offices.
These enterprises should buy land to create parking facilities or enlarge their current parking areas, apart from encouraging their employees to take up car pooling which is also good for the environment.
Not only have we residents of Swatar to endure the increasing nuisance and pollution in an already densely populated area, but we also have to wait in our cars after a day's work hoping that some employee leaves to make a parking space available.
There are various ways in which the local council can also ensure that residents' rights are respected. Traffic wardens should not be present only when issuing tickets to local residents who end up parking outside parking bays just because visitors are depriving them of parking near their homes.
For a start, as has been done in other areas, the Birkirkara council should introduce a residential parking zone in this area of Swatar. Residents of busy urban centres all over Europe and even in Malta benefit from such schemes already. The local council should apply to the Malta Transport Authority to introduce a residential parking scheme at least in the following streets: Triq il-Graffiti Navali, Triq il-Qanpiena, Triq il-Qattus, Triq is-Sisla, and Triq L. Onofrio.
To make matters worse, the parking area of the St George Preca parish church is now available solely during church functions. Should Fr Gordon Refalo or whoever is responsible consider introducing a system whereby this huge car park (which is highly underutilised) is available to residents?
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Liana Cortis
Aug 10th 2009, 16:07
I think this problem can be found even in other areas in B'Kara. The new showrooms which are being built are causing a huge parking problem, where residents are ending up not having anywhere to park.. This is a major issue even in the B'Kara bypass next to the Remax showroom where employee cars occupy parking spaces till 7 or 8 in the evening! Such an issue should be dealt with and residents parking needs to be assigned here too, since the small amount of parking spaces are already not enough for the residents!
Michelle Caruana
Mar 24th 2009, 07:55
There might be parking faciltiies which unfortunately are either not enough or else not being used by everyone. That is the whole point! If you do not believe me, you can spend a day in my area and see how many people who either visit the Tower Business Centre or work at HSBC park in the area. You have to live there to understand. As regards to being egoistic, I just listed some options that might alleviate the problem and make everyone happy, including residents AND employees. As to L.Gales'a comment re not having a garage, you should understand that I did not find an adequate garage in the area that was either for sale or for rent when I bought my property. You say that I am discriminating - who is discriminating now - you are discrimianting against people who either did not find a garage or else simply do not afford it.
It is more than obvious that you do not live in the area since anyone who does cannot deny my concern!!!
JK Farrugia
Mar 23rd 2009, 18:06
Further to this letter, Ms Caruana should check her facts right re Tower Business Centre. There are 6 storeys of parking in the tower and these are already being used.
L..Galea
Mar 22nd 2009, 23:19
Michelle Caruana
Residential parking are illegal because they discriminate against drivers from other towns.
They were and will continue to be challenged.
You cannot discriminate to solve a problem, but find a solution to it which does not discriminate against those who are non-residents.
Apart from this, why should not houses have a garage and blocks of flats underground residents parking?
Who would build a house without a garage nowadays?
That would at least leave a space for others while also leave a blank space in front of the garage.
Arnold Brincat
Mar 22nd 2009, 21:38
Jien qrajt l-artiklu u ma nistax nifhem kif ikkunsidrawha egoista ghax issugerit skema ta parking ghar-residenti! Nista nifhimha perfettament ghax jien nghix fl-inhawi u naf x'problema qed ikollna hawnhekk. Haddiehor f'inhawi ohra meta jasal lura mix-xoghol isib parking ghax min jahdem hemm jkun telaq lejn daru. Hawnhekk peress li nies li jahdmu hawn ghandhom hinijiet differenti u anka jahdmu bis-shift, parking ma jkunx hawn u kemm il-darba ghamilt hin twil ndur u naqad mal-blokki nittama li jizvojta xi parking.
Fuq is-suggeriment li jintuza il-parking tal-knisja, kif jidher car, hemm ragunijiet ghalfejn dan ma hux possibli, la kien hemm min kien pastaz u ma uzahx sew. Mela ejja naraw x'nistghu naghmlu biex nsolvu l-problema ghax milli qed nifhem wara kollox dak kien l-ghan tal-artiklu!!!
Michelle Caruana
Mar 22nd 2009, 20:40
Grazzi Marlon ... fl-ahhar tkellem xi hadd li qed jghaddi mill-istess problema tieghi.... u jista jifhimni....
Michelle Caruana
Mar 22nd 2009, 20:36
Mr Galea, my comments on littering are from observations I made recently and I think that I got that right, that is why I commented about it. Anyway, after all that was not the issue!!! I am glad that there are so many people that take care of the area and help around. Again, I have to clarify that I NEVER was criticising the church facilities or its volunteers. I fear that my message was misinterpreted.
As regards to the council issue, I was told that Swatar falls under B'Kara, but I might be wrong!
Marlon Barbara
Mar 22nd 2009, 20:26
Parti sostanzjali mis-Swatar (l-inhawi tal-Qattus) jaqa' taht il-Kunsill ta' B'Kara...l-arma fuq l-ismijiet tat-toroq tal-inhawi tal-Qattus kif ukoll is-solitu warden b'qalb kbira li jidher li sab nicca biex jilhaq l-ammont ta' citazzjonijiet mehtiega u jwahhalek citazzjoni sakemm titla' b'xirja jew tarbija f'darek jindika li naqghu taht dan il-Kunsill. Saru s-sinjali tat-traffiku mal-art biex tinholoq ordni (jew xi kultant nasal biex nghid forma ta' nassa pulita ghar-residenti li tassew ghandhom problema ta' parking). Issa li l-maggoranza tat-toroq fl-inhawi huma asfaltati, ikun tajjeb li tinholoq sistema tajba fl-immaniggjar taghhom (sistema ta' one way ) specjalment f'liwjiet li jitqiesu bhala blind corners qabel ma jkomplu jsiru aktar incidenti. Fl-ahhar u mhux l-inqas biex tiggudika, trid tkun tghix fic-cirkostanza tar-residenti inkwistjoni.
Michelle Caruana
Mar 22nd 2009, 20:23
Hello everyone, Please understand that I never requested to park in your garage! My comments were intended to create awareness of this problem - I am sure that residents in my area agree with my concern. Most of your comments focus on the church parking which as already explained, I mentioned just as an example amongst others and in no way was intending this facility to be the solution. Really, I cannot understand all this antagonism...My intention was to express my opinion that there is the need for a residential parking scheme in this area. I am not being egoistic much more than all the other residents of Malta that are already benefiting from such schemes! Again, residents in the area I work in, do not need my employer's parking spaces cause they always find a parking slot due to residential parking schemes! Clearly, you are not experiencing these same problems and cannot fully understand the situation. So how can you be so judgemental?!! Thanks for teaching me that in Malta not everyone can express his/her concerns.
Christopher Galea
Mar 22nd 2009, 20:18
Extract from Ms Caruana's post:
"As regards to the Swatar Parish Car Park, I understand that taking advantage of the place and littering is unacceptable. But then let us not also forget that there are times when functions are organised on the church premises and people throw away their rubbish on the pavements outside the church, littering the streets and making the day for all the cats that are roaming around!!!"
It is true that occasionally social functions are held in the church car park. There is no denying this. What I fully deny is the fact that,as stated by Ms Caruana, litter is left lying around on the pavements around the church after such activities. I am one of the volunteers who take up the bother to clear up and clean the area. At no time rubbish is left lying around for the cats to feast on. As it goes, we collect all the rubbish in provided bags, take them in our own private cars to be disposed of properly and we also make it a point to recycle whatever possible. So please, once again, make sure you get your facts right before you put pen to paper.
Anton Cutajar
Mar 22nd 2009, 19:35
Ms Caruana should understand, that in front of her house is a public road, that is, a road which gives equal rights for all to park unless it is a no-parking area, while the Church periphery is a private area! So it follows, that even if I have my own garage, I still have a right to park in front of her house as much as she has, but she has no right to park in my garage!
Christopher Galea
Mar 22nd 2009, 19:28
I would like to bring to the attention of Ms Caruana that Swatar does not fall under the jusistiction of the Birkirkara Local Council. It falls under the responsability of Msida Local Council. Please be aware that the streets you mentioned are all within Birkirkara. If there is a parking problem in Swatar, do take it up with the council concerned. Also, the church car park is private property for the use of the church goers, just like one's home is private property for the use of its owners and their guests. As for the "highly underutilised" issue, are you implying that when I am away from home other persons can make use of my property?
Astrid Galea
Mar 22nd 2009, 19:06
It is to my understanding that Ms.Caruana takes her car with her to work as she states that she has to wait in her car after a day's work to find available parking. Good for her if her employer provides her with a parking space. Has she ever considered asking her employer to availe her parking place to the area's residents when she is off work? If not, isn't she being egoistic here?!!!! As regards the closure of the church car park, the decision to do so was taken after the arrogant misuse of the same property by third persons. One has to bear in mind that this park park is church property and it is for the sole use of the church's patrons. Many a time church goers had to park somewhere else because the car park was occupied by other people's cars not attending the church service. With this rate there will be somebody asking for the use of my garage when I'm away!!!!
Allanah Oliviero
Mar 22nd 2009, 17:07
Those people who work in the same company as I do but do not have access to the car park, do not take up valuable parking space of the residents in that area cause the local council introduced a residential parking scheme!!!
But before it was introduced they did take up space of the residents.
So what do they do at the moment car pool,park in the nearest available village or area thats nearer to work thus putting the problem on another residetial area?Or do they use public transport?
You are very lucky that your employers provide a car park ,not all employers do.
cassar i
Mar 22nd 2009, 14:18
@Allanah Oliviero well done........kullhadd irid jkun komdu hu biss....
Michelle Caruana
Mar 22nd 2009, 11:52
Mr Cutajar, as Mr Micallef pointed out, simply having storeys of Car Parking does not really mean that employees and visitors make use of these parking facilities. I can assure you that I see pepole that work at HSBC or visiting Tower Business Centre park near my house at every hour of the day for long periods. If you are not facing this parking problem, maybe you do not live in this particular area or else have a garage at your disposal. As regards to the Swatar Parish Car Park, I understand that taking advantage of the place and littering is unacceptable. But then let us not also forget that there are times when functions are organised on the church premises and people throw away their rubbish on the pavements outside the church, littering the streets and making the day for all the cats that are roaming around!!! So, whilst the church has solved its problems, how can people living near the church solve theirs? I only pointed out that that there are various methods that can be introduced to make our lives easier and in no way was criticising the decision taken by the parish church.
Michelle Caruana
Mar 22nd 2009, 11:49
Reply to Allanah Oliviero
Yes, I take my car to work and my employer provides me with a parking space. Those people who work in the same company as I do but do not have access to the car park, do not take up valuable parking space of the residents in that area cause the local council introduced a residential parking scheme!!!
Allanah Oliviero
Mar 22nd 2009, 10:49
we also have to wait in our cars after a day's work hoping that some employee leaves to make a parking space available.
This is not just a problem to Swatar residents ,this is a problem all over Malta.I live in Msida near the university and have the exact same problem.
You say that you take your car to work,I would imagine so do most of the residents in that area .
Do your employees provide you with a car park to park ,or do you take up valuable parking space of the residents in the area that you work?
Charles Micallef
Mar 22nd 2009, 10:23
Fully sympathise with your plight, Swatar had grown dramatically of the past few years and the planners should now have a good look at new car park facilities in the area and as soon as possible, as it clear that this area is now totally choked with parked cars.
The fact of the matter is that all the new properties advertise a car park facilities when applying for planning permission, however they fail to mention that there will be a hefty charge for its use. There are also some showrooms in Swatar with car parks to let, although when applying for planning permission this was meant to be for its clients.
The other problem with indoor car parks is the designs and the poor access to reach certain levels, with the chances are that one will end up with a dent for the parking fee.
Let us hope that the Central Government will look into the issue at the earliest before the area will become one huge traffic jam.
Anton Cutajar
Mar 22nd 2009, 10:09
I am a Swatar Resident and I would like to point out the follwoing:
1 Tower Business Centre has a number of storeys of Car Parking both for their employees and for others
2 The Swatar Parish Car Park is intended for people to park their car and attend church services. It was closed because when it was still open, not open did people take advantage of this but also left rubbish, used parish water to wash their cars there and caused damage to church property.
.