Malcolm Mifsud
Giving space for parking
Over the past few years, parking has become a social, economic and political issue. The issue is making a daily appearance in the media and in the blogs and everyone seems to have a view and a point to make. We consider our car as a necessity but it has also become a cause of frustration and anxiety.
I must declare that I am no traffic expert but I have held the post of mayor of a local council for 13 years in a locality that, until a few years ago, had a parking crisis. I took the parking issue in hand and tackled it seriously. In Pietà, I introduced one of the first resident parking schemes, a scheme that has caused a lot of controversy and legal debate.
As a resident of Pietà I grew up next door to St Luke's Hospital and, therefore, I grew up in a locality that had a major traffic problem. I believe that I was innovative and did not shrug my shoulders at this situation, hoping it would sort itself out by time.
I keep a number of facts and principles in mind when administering a traffic system. The first fact is that parking space is limited and that parking space is diminishing and not increasing. We have only one level and that is street level, and in this area we have bus stops, garages, reserved parking zones, zebra crossings and, if there is any space left, we have free parking spaces. Notwithstanding this, a regulator, such as a local council, should keep in mind that commuters seek parking spaces for different reasons: residents want to park close to their homes, employees want to park fairly close to their place of work, customers want to park next to a shop or office and, in Pietà, when St Luke's Hospital was still operational, visitors wanted to park around the hospital to visit their loved ones.
Therefore, a parking scheme has to be moderate and address an infinite variety of demands.
The controversial Pietà parking scheme was introduced when there was no clear policy on this, nor was there a procedure on how a local council should apply to the regulator, the Malta Transport Authority.
I believe that a parking scheme should only be introduced when there is an imbalance of how parking is taken up. For example, when St Luke's Hospital was fully functioning, residents of Pietà and Guardamangia had no chance to park because hospital employees, visitors and out-patients took up most of the limited parking space at all times of the day. It is the duty of a local council in such instances to step in and sort out the demand in order to give a fighting chance to residents to be able to park close to their homes.
The argument that we are all Maltese citizens and that once we pay for our road licence we should be free to park wherever we want is a fallacy on various levels. There are various limitations concerning parking, and parking is allowed depending on the category of the vehicles or the owners of those vehicles. If we were to take the argument to the extreme, we are now EU citizens and we should have the right to park wherever we fancy in other EU member states and, consequently, the residents' parking scheme in London is illegal because it is discriminatory.
It is important to point out that not all localities are identical and some localities have characteristics that force a local council to take action in one way or another. Parking is an issue and I feel that, where there are crises and imbalances, the local council has a duty to address and tackle them.
Local councils are not the only regulators or promoters of schemes because there are other authorities that block parking spaces for one category of users or other. I refer, in particular, to un/loading bays for commercial outlets, reserved parking bays for disabled persons and reserved parking bays for public officials.
The business community is a vital component of any locality and a council should do its utmost to assist and promote investment in its locality. A number of business establishments have an un/loading bay, which is intended for delivery trucks and vehicles to deliver and distribute merchandise. However, are these being used for this scope? My experience is that delivery trucks still have to park in the middle of the road because these bays are used by the owner or manager of the establishment as their private parking bays. This diminishes the credibility of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association that argue that business is on a downwards spiral because of the lack of parking for clients and customers.
Then there are the reserved parking bays for disabled persons. The policy dictates that such bays should be allowed solely for persons with special needs. However, to my mind, it seems that anybody who has a slight limp is being granted a blue sticker and, sometimes, even a reserved parking bay.
On the other side of the scale, people in a vegetative state or in semi-coma are granted such bays. I remember once I was lambasted as being a heartless brute because I objected that a reserved parking bay be granted to a woman who was bed-bound, who never held a driving licence and never had any intention to start driving. I was informed that this bay was essential in case there should be a need for an ambulance. I really do not think that officials dishing out reserved parking spaces are making their verifications and I also have a niggling suspicion that they are accepting any sort of medical certificate.
Then there are localities that are dogged with another scourge, that of reserved parking for public officials and public offices. I work in Valletta where these reserved parking bays abound. When I once enquired why these public servants need a reserved parking place in order to give an effective service to the taxpayer I was informed that this would be required for security reasons.
To my mind parking a car on a reserved parking bay with a sign that the car parked belongs to a particular department or authority is a clear indication where potential vandals should target. The truth is that this is an untaxed perk. I think the judiciary is setting a good example where their drivers drop them off at the law courts and then they whiz off to a car park outside Valletta. Could public servants not take up the same practice, I ask.
These are just a few issues that increase the tension on parking and on local councils that try to strike a balance. When faced with parking problems, politicians, such as local councillors, should consider intervening. Dialogue and consultation are essential for the scheme's success. Therefore, attacking a local council for doing something about a problem is a lame argument. On the other hand, local councils that embark on such schemes cannot but expect controversy.
Dr Mifsud is mayor of Pietà.
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Kevin Pirotta
Sep 18th 2009, 11:09
@B. Agius. We are pretty much on the same wavelength here however I reiterate that any law in favour of residential parking would be detrimental as well as discriminatory to the rest of our fellow citizens.The Singapore solution is as ideal as it is a non starter. As one who hires a car when abroad, I am all too aware of the fact that street parking overseas comes at a price and paying up to 10 euro for a few hours parking is the norm. Thus if residents wish that they have reserved parking then they should be made to pay for it and not some pathetic amount but a realistic sum of say 20 euro weekly. Businesses be they offices , retail shops or similar would be dealt a potentially lethal blow, if access to them, would be severely curtailed, resulting in further job loss coupled with loss of confidence in the economy.
Things are already quite bad in this regard, with possibly worse to follow and government would do well to seek measures that foster confidence and a feel good factor rather than negative and non productive legislation.
B Agius
Sep 18th 2009, 01:47
Kevin Pirotta: Fair enough comment however "abuse and discrimination" etc are also taken care of (more or less) by laws not by individuals doing as they please. Of course in Malta the "less" applies more! Thinking about how Malta can resolve some of its issues and look forward, one feels that there is only one solution! I call it the "Singapore solution" - flatten the place and start again! Of course it'll never happen - but I can't see enough improvements and good will in Malta so its citizens can live "like others" given the increase in the population and standard of living.In as far as parking is concerned , other places organise it in such a way that it costs money but it creates jobs. Also the notion that streets etc "belong to all" doesn't apply in other countries. However in other countries I concede, more parking is available everywhere. Shops won't get a permit unless they provide a number of car bays on their own property. In cities though - they are more like Malta - the local council provide many multi level carparks but you pay to use them.
Kevin Pirotta
Sep 17th 2009, 17:40
@ B. Agius. I am all for more disciplined society through laws introduced though the powers that be. However abusive and discriminate attempts at what is effectively appropriating public land for just a few persons at the expense of the rest of the nation, can never be justified. The fact that there is so much room for improvement in this country has nothing to do with residential parking which if introduced only in certain areas, will create unnecessary tension between residents of one town and another.
Galea. L
Sep 17th 2009, 09:39
B Agius
If you think that I am going to allow arrogant local counselors, mayors and authorities to trample over my rights you are grossly mistaken. If you want to submit to their whims do as you like, but I and others certainly shall not.
If one wants to always find a parking space on should get a garage or garage space because one has NO right to have a reserved parking space. The streets are PUBLIC property and not anyone's to appropriate through pulling the strings at the local council.
B Agius
Sep 17th 2009, 02:32
@Galea L
You epitomize the Maltese attitude(s) that ensure Malta remains where it is today - backward and disorganised - compared to other places you like to compare yourself with. You should live in a more progressive place and have to live with far more restrictions that, of course, create a better environment for all.We,as citizens, elect our councils etc etc to make up laws and by laws that are necessary to create some semblance of order in our over crowded urban environs. People like you - and in Malta this is still very prevalent- then think they can pick and chose what they comply with. And they teach their children to do so. I can think of many places where your attitudes will land you in serious trouble - of a financial nature and possibly jail. But of course, you survive in Malta and get away with what you say you do! Good on ya - but you are one of the many that makes Malta what it is - a shambles. And of course - you deserve to live there as you will battle to live in any "better" place.
A. Borg Cardona
Sep 16th 2009, 15:59
Like Dr.Mifsud, I too work in Valletta every day. I probably spend more time there than most residents and yet I have been made to park outside Valletta or else pay a daily hefty rate. (By the way, I have not yet seen any improvements in the City). I do not like these schemes because in Malta we can never do anything right. They are never honestly run. Take Valletta: the guys who sell at the Monti are exempted - why? The company running the parking scheme has dished out 22,000 exemptions - who are all these important people? The scheme is not working and the Valletta shop owners are complaining of loss of business. Why spread this scheme elsewhere?
wenzu vella
Sep 16th 2009, 15:19
The best cure for Malta's parking is LESS CARS
Kevin Pirotta
Sep 16th 2009, 14:42
It is patently obvious why local councillors push residents' parking schemes with such tenacity. It is a sure winner with the local residents in garnering both their popularity and eventually their vote, come election day as L. Galea so rightly points out. Argue it anyway you want, but roads are quite simply public property and any usurping of such public space is nothing short of misappropriation of public land for a select few. Roads belong to all or better still to nobody at all. If somebody wishes to own a car fine, but to expect that his or her road be turned into a private domain is ludicrous. The only way residential parking can find any measure of justification is if introduced nationwide ie across the board or else otherwise select residential parking will discriminate against those residents whose locality is not included ! Needless to say this would cause nationwide chaos and make this country even more parochial and insular than it already is. Dr Mifsud would be well advised to take heed of the maxim in the mother tongue which translates into ' the sun rises for all ' and learn to live with his fellow citizens.
Galea. L
Sep 16th 2009, 13:49
MBorg
Yes Borg.
That is what I did.
I defied the system, got booked several times and always had the ticket repealed by the Board for Petitions.
The system is DISCRIMINATORY AND ILLEGAL and I shall continue to defy it and NOT pay up.
For you information many laws were made and declared ILLEGAL by the COURTS because they were DISCRIMINATORY and so shall this one. Just because they are covered by a legal notice does not make them NON-DISCRIMINATORY and therefore ILLEGAL especially when the ADT itself had said that such systems are DISCRIMINATORY http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2008/07/06/n3.html These are the incompetents that are running the ADT when one time they say they shall not approve them because they are DISCRIMINATORY and another time they approve them.
I advise all those who are booked NOT to pay the fine and send a registered petition to the Board for Petitions claiming that the system is DISCRIMINATORY and therefore ILLEGAL. Even if not accepted contest it at the local tribunal and ask for the suspension of proceedings until the case instituted by Mr Joseph Paul Borg is decided because it shall have a bearing on the decision by the local tribunal.
MBorg
Sep 16th 2009, 13:24
@ Galea L
" I have defied and shall continue to defy any parking scheme if and whenever I have to park anywhere "
I take it that this means that up to now you parked wherever you liked. Maybe you were able to get away with it because some local councils were not enforcing the scheme because, maybe, like the Pieta local council they were not in order.
By "dedied " I am sure that you do not mean that you were booked and that you did not pay the fine.
If you were booked and did not pay, I wonder how you managed to renew your driving licance.
The Sliema and all the other new schemes are covered by law. Defy and pay up.
john fenech
Sep 16th 2009, 12:24
Parking is a major problem, which will be further exasperated with each passing day. It is a fact that every locality has its own parking problems some are seasonal others are perennial. While in the locality itself, the problem will be more acute in one part than in the other.
Two possibilities for a solution, which are external to the council authority, are the setting up of an efficient transport system and building of car parks. The first is an option to the car owner to leave his car parked near his home while at work the second increases the road parking space.
On reflection, if the residents of the locality have the possibility to leave the car parked near their home while at work, visitors driving their own transport will find it difficult to find a parking slot! Therefore, the Residence Private Parking Scheme or the other solution tends to negate extra parking space in densely traffic locations! So leaving the status quo is a solution?!
An equitable solution against parking permit abuse might be, a mandatory Local Council parking permit register. This is independently audited for parking permit validation and the findings made available to public scrutiny.
Galea. L
Sep 16th 2009, 11:11
Dr Mifsud, residents do NOT have a right over other citizens to park on the streets. If they want to always find parking they should buy or rent a garage or garage space. You scheme has been held to be discriminatory. Any reserved parking scheme is discriminatory and the proposed Sliema scheme is going to be contested which shall put an end to the INJUSTICES and DISCRIMINATION which councils such as yours are perpetrating upon drivers. I have defied and shall continue to defy any parking scheme if and whenever I have to park anywhere Dr Mifsud because I won't submit to arrogant local counselors and mayors who think that they are some God-given gift to society and allow them to trample on MY RIGHTS for their own interests to secure the local residents votes to get re-elected..