Plans to reserve all Sliema roads for residents' parking

Estelle Inguanez

Aug 10th 2009, 12:52

One cannot compare Sliema to Valletta!! To get to Sliema one needs to go to Valletta and have another bumpy ride to Sliema!!!!

I would not mind having to have a bus ride, if only the system works properly and efficiently on time!!!

F. Pace

Aug 10th 2009, 11:21

@ Galea L

I don't challenge the system by paying, but I pay to be comfortable and find parking if I need to...

Galea. L

Aug 10th 2009, 09:39

F. Pace
You should not pay and challenge the system because it is discriminatory and doubly so because the local residents do not pay to park (I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT THEY PAY) apart from having their own parking boxes reserved.

Stephen Spiteri

Aug 10th 2009, 09:20

I will not set a foot in any sliema bar, restaurant, shop or any place of entertainment until this decision is reversed. The hassle is just not worthed.

F. Pace

Aug 10th 2009, 09:14

@ Rita Spiteri

When we visit Valletta we always pay to park in there streets...

E Compagno

Aug 10th 2009, 08:24

This is a double edged sword for me.

It would be great to find some parking, even limited to 2 hours, for quick shopping... but then I could not go swimming there anymore. What a shame..

If the council actually makes ALL the roads a private parking area, the roads would be half empty during the day as most sliema residents would be at work - in other localities!

While understanding the plight of the residents, I do think the latest proposal is absolute and sheer madness.

Dave Alan Caruana

Aug 10th 2009, 02:43

another insane scheme from our friendly local council .. I think we'll have to wait for the next council elections to have it reversed ..

J Fenech

Aug 9th 2009, 18:13

Sliema residents are not primadonnas. They don't pay more road tax than the rest of the maltese. It is a big headache to park there, and then so are other busy commercial towns like Paola, Bkara and Hamrun. Whilst I agree that some forms of parking restrictions are urgently needed, they should not favour a particular group. We have been taking it for granted for too long that we can leave our cars wherever we like for whatever length of time as we please for free and now we're facing the consequences. The majority of spaces during the day are those taken by people who work there and leave their cars for an average of 10hrs daily, leaving no space for those on short term errands.
Sliema is the best served locality when it comes to public trasnport having direct links to practically the length and breadth of the island. If only these routeshave extra trips in the rush hours (and be punctual of course)it would alleviate the problem in no small way. And what about more boat services to Valletta and beyond? Battery powered taxis like the ones in vlt can be used for intra-town transport.

Michael Neville Cassar

Aug 9th 2009, 17:50

Is the Sliema Council declaring war with none residents? If so do not come in my home town with your car because you are not welcomed not even for 1 minuet .

Franco Farrugia @ Mr Salnitro

Aug 9th 2009, 17:12

Sir, common sense would then dictate that you will not be allowed to park for free in ANY other Maltese street! You cannot expect to enjoy reserved parking in your place of residence and at the same time also expect to park for free in every other locality. So, all this is nonsense. If Sliema residents are to be given this kind of privilege, then, they should pay for using any other parking bay outside Sliema locality.

Joanne Micallef

Aug 9th 2009, 16:55

Sliema is a far cry from what it was up until 10/15 years ago, it’s become a filthy concrete jungle, which wouldn’t be half as bad if at least there were decent pavements and roads. I would love to see the Town back to it’s former glory, but I cannot not think that hundreds of people earn a living working there, so I hope that any decision that will eventually be taken seriously weighs all the pros and cons.
What about the new shopping centre to open in Tigne, will they offer free limited parking for it’s customers to counteract for this measure?

john fenech

Aug 9th 2009, 16:42

When this scheme was launched the Local Council & the ADT said that discussions where held with all stakeholders. Subsequently the Sliema Residents' Association on behalf of the underprivileged Sliema residents (6000), the owners of the 157 outlets & the 4000 people who work in Sliema daily, expressed their opposition to this scheme.

Therefore at least 6000+4000+157 =10157 where left out of the loop, excluding an average of 2000 people (tourist shoppers & other visitors) who visit Sliema on a daily basis. Therefore 12157 where not included in the loop of this scheme which is intended to accommodate less than half (6000) of the Sliema population! Therefore the Sliema Residents' Association were spot on that the scheme was half-baked!

The Mayor somehow want to produce a win-win situation, translated, the scheme will provided parking space to all drivers who visit Sliema between 07:30-19:00 and at the same time reserve a parking space for the Sliema residents from 15:30 onwards, to be within reasonable distance from the place of adobe! Well I wish him luck since according to the ADT 70% of the parking space for the original schemes were already occupied. CVA will increase revenue not space.

Alfred Camilleri

Aug 9th 2009, 16:35

Does the new Sliema mayor take us for morons and fools? Is he taking us for a ride with his rhetoric about addressing the problems being created by the introduction of the Residents Parking scheme, when the Sliema Council is awaiting, with bated breath, MTA's permit to turn all of the town into a residents parking zone. These problems will affect many of the residents themselves; thousands of workers who come to work in Sliema every day; business outlets and offices which ran into hundreds and thousands of visitors who come to Sliema on other errands or for leisure and enjoyment of the town.

Incidentally, I am a resident of Sliema, in case anybody is interested.

Does the Government not realize that this madness of residence parking schemes will cost it thosands of votes? And I am not referring to Local Council elections here.

vincent a galea

Aug 9th 2009, 16:19

I HARDLY EVER GO TO VALLETTA BECUSE OF ITS PARKING CHALLENGES...
SO SLIEMA WILL BE MY OTHER "NO NO"...
SORRY TO THE OUTLETS WHERE I USED TO SPEND MY MONEY... !!!
GOOD BYE SLIEMA... YOU HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO AN EXCLUSIVE CAR PARK !!!!
ENJOY IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

martin saliba

Aug 9th 2009, 16:12

It seems that there as some very learnerd people disagrteeing with this anti constitutional parking scheme. I sugest that someone capable , as i am not , to organise a collection and take all of the offending councils to court. Without bringing politics into , and i really hope that someother bumb ass dosn't , its something in the line of what the PL is doing regarding VAT on cars. Any funds left over after the court case could go to chartiable institutions.

Nigel Lawrence

Aug 9th 2009, 16:03

Why dont ALL towns and villages make their parking residential only, then we can all throw our cars away because they will become redundant.

v.pulis

Aug 9th 2009, 15:33

This is another typical Maltese problem where a monster was created and nourished for years and then all of a sudden we try to find a solution overnight. The proliferation of buildings in Sliema is the cause of this problem. Other localities are following in the same footsteps and no one is noticing blinded by the building orgy . Soon we will have most of Malta out of bounds to fellow Maltese. Couple this with the ever increasing number of cars on our raods and you have a recipe for a major disaster. The writing has been on the wall for years but no one seems to want to read.

L Aquilina

Aug 9th 2009, 15:32

The ADT has the main say in the matter and as a Maltese citizen I expect it to treat the tax paying population with fairness and equality. On top of this, the Prime Minister needs to intervene if matters keep going the way the Sliema Mayor is proposing. THIS IS TRULY MID SUMMER MADNESS AT ITS BEST.

D Delia

Aug 9th 2009, 15:19

Let's do something about it and fight this blatant discrimination! Let's boycott Sliema for business and for pleasure (including visiting family and friends) as much as we can help it. Let's isolate Sliema. If its money the council is aiming at then we should deprive the council from siphoning it from our pockets. This will finally irk many residents in the end and make pressure on the council to review its policies.

Galea. L

Aug 9th 2009, 15:19

M Formosa
Having reserved or restricted parking, non-residents paying for parking while residents do not, etc are all DISCRIMINATORY, because they are treating citizens in a different manner, that is DISCRIMINATING against non-residents. If you are happy to pay if you are a non-resident we are not and shall defy the system any time the occasion arises as I have done in other areas.

Anthony Briffa
It is certainly DISCRIMINATION against non-residents because they are coming from a different "place of origin" even though some might say that it refer to countries. The Constitution makes reference to specific instances of discrimination, but certainly they are not meant to be exhaustive and the general tenor in all laws is to remove any discrimination.

This is apart from all organizations, the Government, the Opposition, the Council of Europe and the EU saying they are against all sorts and forms of discrimination and want any traces of discrimination removed, and yet we have idiots at local councils who are the local government who instead of removing DISCRIMINATION are themselves perpetrating it. This also applies to ADT and other authorities who should be guarding against DISCRIMINATION not perpetrating it themselves.

MSciberras

Aug 9th 2009, 15:10

I would be all out for these schemes if Malta had a reliable public transport system and affordable car parks. But neither exists. The car parks are too few and far between and far too expensive. For example, the car park next to the Eden Century charges about €7 for about 3 or four hours pn a weekend evening - this is several times more expensive than major European urban centres, which recognise the need to subsidize public parking. The public transport cannot be relied upon we all know that. So it is a pipedream for this hopelessly unqualified major to plead to be given time to find a perfect solution and play roulette with the livelihoods and the lives of a¨lot of people, many of who are residents in this manner. Sliema's beaches, promenade and cafes attrract far more than the 4000 non residents who work there, not to mention tourists who are already being bombarded witth traffic fines. The legal notice has to be withdrawn and common sense has to prevail. Sliema residents have to live with their parking problems just like the rest of us until an infrastructure of public car parks and transport is in place.

Charles Sammut

Aug 9th 2009, 15:03

Those Local Councils that do not agree with this discriminatory system should reciprocate by implementing its corollary in their area.

This will be that Sliema residents, who park in other areas, will be slapped with the same limitations that Sliema LC imposes on non-Sliema residents who park in Sliema. Sauce for the goose and all that.

M Formosa

Aug 9th 2009, 14:49

It would be nice to see my home town of birth reduced in noise, pollution and traffic. On the other hand it is not fair for non residents, especially the ones that work in Sliema to have a 2 hour limit, ridiculous. Here in Toronto we have parking meters, in the downtown core. Non residents would have to pay to stay as long as they want, which will be more of a revenue to Sliema, a win win situation.

R.MIFSUD

Aug 9th 2009, 14:25

Is this another burden on the citizen? We will be paying toll fees to enter from one town to another next.

What about people who provides service to the business outlets like sales representatives. Do you think they can afford to pay the charges that may be introduced? Most of these people are employed on minimum wage and commision.

Just think that one visit an outlet and is there for 15/20 minutes because he has to wait for the owner or people to get served and then he walks out without an order for various reasons. Or goes to get paid for items sold three months before hand and expect him to pay the parking fees? Don't say the company that employ him should pay. Some of our companies are on their knees.

Be realistic. Introduce parking for residents after certain time. Its bad enough seeing someone waiting for, maybe a relative to park instead of him, while a non resident is trying to find a parking space for a few minutes during working hours.

Hope that a fair solution will be introduced to all even to non residents. MORE BURDENS? SIMPLY CANNOT BE AFFORDED.

Becky Zarb

Aug 9th 2009, 14:23

Interesting! I grew up in Sliema and purposely chose not to buy property there because of the parking problem. However, I like to visit my parents regularly and always end up parking quite far from their house as it is. Sometimes, parking is so bad, I give up all together. With Sliema becoming a "residents-only" parking zone, visiting my parents, or spending a summer evening at a childhood haunt are both going to become impossible.

Having lived in London for 5 years, the only way this worked for them - in the form of congestion charging, not widespread residents' parking - was because of a superb public transport system. One can hardly count on the current public transport in this country, let alone the measly circular Sliema routes, to compensate, can we???

Perhaps the Sliema council think they are also doing their bit for the country's obesity problems?

Galea. L

Aug 9th 2009, 13:37

Defy the system because we are all Maltese citizens and no local council can reserve parking for its residents. This is blatant DISCRIMINATION and therefore ILLEGAL. The ADT CANNOT approve such schemes because it had already called such schemes DISCRIMINATORY. Have a look at http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2008/07/06/n3.html The streets are PUBLIC property not private property. If the residents want to always find parking they should buy or rent a garage or garage space like others in other areas do.

Rita Spiteri

Aug 9th 2009, 13:32

Other local councils should make Sliema residents pay or restrict their parking by two hours when they park in other towns & villages across Malta that should make them think twice before introducing this stupid scheme

Anthony Briffa

Aug 9th 2009, 13:24

This a continuation of my posting regarding the Residential Parking Scheme all over Malta, particularly in the proposal of the whole of Sliema

“Section 45 [Discrimination]

(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6), (7) and (8) of this section, no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(3) In this section, the expression "discriminatory" means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.”

Can somebody who is in the legal profession give some comments on these articles of the constitution regarding the scheme.

Anthony Briffa

Aug 9th 2009, 13:18

The Residential Parking Scheme in all towns and villages in Malta goes against the Constitution of Malta as it restricts the liberties and the movement of the citizens and laws, which are inconsistent, shall be void.

“Section 6 [Supremacy of the Constitution]
Subject to the provisions of subsections (7) and (9) of section 47 and of section 66 of this Constitution, if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail and the other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”
“Section 34 [Personal Liberty]

(1) No person shall be deprived of his personal liberty save as may be authorised by law in the following cases, that is to say.”

Parking a car in another town or village rather than the one’s own is not listed in any of the case.

“Section 44 [Movement]

(1) No citizen of Malta shall be deprived of his freedom of movement, and for the purpose of this section the said freedom means the right to move freely throughout Malta, the right to reside in any part of Malta, the right to leave and the right to enter Malta.”

Paul Barrett

Aug 9th 2009, 12:21

The roads are public roads belonging to all the population.
If this parking scheme is to be implemented where 50% of the parking space is unrestrictedly or exclusive to residents only, where residents have privilege over the rest of the population, then the residents should be charged for the privilege - i.e., a tax disc issued by the Council (but paid into the National Road Repair Funds) against a fee (how about Euro 500 per year per disc).

K.Borg

Aug 9th 2009, 12:13

@mario salnitro

well i would suggest you get a job in sliema now, because if this procedure takes place you should only be allowed to park for two hours in any other town, as that would be the only fair solution. which obviously doesnt make sence

just like the sliema council, it just doesnt make sense! I lived in sliema for over 15 years and i know what parking hassle is, but i cannot understand this new system, all business is going to go down the drain. its like imagine if all central london had to do the same, all hell would break loose! not to mention how many sliema residents own 3 or four cars and no car garage and expect to find parking for all cars in their road, why? because they think they own it. well no darling you dont! the road is property to all road tax payers, get over it! next time if you afford buying a mega luxurious flat, make sure u have some money left to buy a garage!

these are primary school measures! will not get on board of a sinking vessel with you mr.mayor!

martin Saliba

Aug 9th 2009, 12:12

So Mr. Dimech. I live at Lower St. Albert Str Gzira right at the end where it meets with Parisio Str. Sliema. Have you taken the problems you will be creating into account in this situation ?
The Sliema residents will have the priviledge of parking in Sliema and the option of parking in Gzira which will no doubt will lead to abuse by the Sliema residents. Sliema residents will prefer to park in Gzira 5 meters away , so that when someone else in their family wants to park they would be more likely to find a parking space as people like me who live in Gzira ,5 meters away Sliema , would not be able to park for more than 2 hours. Streets like these should be omitted from the scheme as it will be creating a great injustice for people living in the boundary areas of Sliema.

C.ZARB

Aug 9th 2009, 12:08

The surrounding areas had always relied on Sliema as a social and shopping center. So much investment had been invested in it because of that and it will be stripped to them once residential parking will come to force.

I am sure that Prime Minister Gonzi and the rest of the lackeys wouldn't want the 'filthy' vote of a second class citizen (ie a non Slimiz) like me now.

Alex Micallef

Aug 9th 2009, 12:01

The Nationalists lost my vote on this scheme too !

sarah jane Gatt

Aug 9th 2009, 11:59

Thank you Sliema Council have you thought this about, no one will come to eat, drink, or shop in the locality now. In fact If this comes into force, a lot of people will be giving the area a wide berth, or an alternative would be to offer park and ride from Valletta free of charge, and this may be cover for the local business not losing profits or making the area just Welcome to Tourist or Sliema residents only!!!!!

K Camilleri

Aug 9th 2009, 11:56

So the rest of the Maltese who want to go to sliema for work? What shall we do? So sliema will become a NO GO area! Where shall we employees park?

I pay road tax like all the sliema residents! I have full right to park in their locality like they have the full right to park in my street in Rabat where I have to go nuts to park every single day as I arrive back from work!

Is this fair?! I'm sorry... first everybody built 8 storey high apartments in a small area, then you complain about parking! Why didn't sliema residents complain before. Why didn't MEPA do something before?

Sorry Mr. Mayor Dimech... I will not be on board with you and not even the rest of the Maltese. UNLESS sliema residents would have a 2hr parking restriction in every locality they decide to Park... which of course, it is not going to happen. What a farce! Only in Malta.

C.ZARB

Aug 9th 2009, 11:48

These ridiculous schemes will trigger a chain reaction where each fiefdom erm local council will end up doing the same.

This is really getting ridiculous. Malta is equivalent to one big local council abroad. If the government doesn't step in and stop this madness then it will lose many, many votes.

Jason Scerri

Aug 9th 2009, 11:36

I think this is plainly and simply unjustified. I used to live in Hamrun and it was always a nightmare to find a parking spot after work. However we all pay the road tax and thus we are all eligble to have the same rights. If this plan goes ahead then everyone in every locality should get the same treatment. i hope it will not be the case of

" All animals are equal but some or more equal than others"

Charles Sammut

Aug 9th 2009, 10:49

This is going to affect the value of Sliema properties. Personally. I wouldn't go to Sliema if my life depended on it and it looks like more and more people will be giving this jungle a miss in the future.

P.Zammit

Aug 9th 2009, 10:40

Gonzi - A PN supporter from the cradle here. Allow the Sliema Mayor to continue with this unjust scheme (RESERVED PARKING) and you've lost another 4 votes for the next general election. You're bleeding votes with such sickening measures. Call the mayor in your office and give him good bollocking, as he needs one! Sliema is not for Sliemizi only as much as Bugibba (another notorious parking headache area) is for people from Bugibba only. Sliema will become out of bounds for people not living there, we wont be able to go to swim, walk or just relax there. Such schemes are unjust, the country is small, people don't live and stay all the time in their own town like what happens abroad with mega-large open spaces and plenty^12 of areas for unwinding oneself in the same town.
This measure is making Sliema a residents only area and OUT OF BOUNDS for the rest of the population.
Joe Muscat / PL declare yourself against such schemes and you've got 4 votes for the next election.
What about M'Scala,Bugibba,Mellieha,Qawra,Mosta,Rabat,B'Bugia, Marsaxlokk,Paola,Fgura and other notoriously problematic parking places ? Are these going to become out of bounds?! DISGUSTING!! SHAME on the Mayor!!

mario salnitro

Aug 9th 2009, 10:38

WELL DONE TO THE SLIEMA LOCAL COUNCIL IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US RESIDENTS TO PARK WHEN WE RETURN HOME AFTER A DAYS WORK.

THE NEW COUNCIL HAS THE GUTS TO LOOK AFTER THE SLIEMA RESIDENTS, WE WILL BACK YOU ALL THE WAY.