Updated: Anglu Xuereb proposes big Floriana car park

An eight-level underground car park for 3,000 vehicles should be built under the Floriana football ground to ease Valletta's parking problems, entrepreneur Anglu Xuereb suggested this morning.

Addressing a news conference, Mr Xuereb said this car park could be connected to Sa Maison through a short tunnel, to facilitate access.

The car park proposal was one of a number of suggestions he made to improve the transportation system, parking and access to Valletta.

The aim behind his plans, he said, was to make Valletta a city which attracted more people.

Mr Xuereb pointed out that Architect Renzo Piano’s proposal for the entrance to the City, together with works at St George’s Square, would see hundreds of parking spaces being lost from St George’s and Freedom squares, the Yellow Garage and St James Ditch. The CVA was also limiting parking and unless the problem was addressed the business community would suffer immensely.

He also suggested the excavation of the old St Magdeline Ravelin around the Tritons Fountain to be used as a transportation hub for public transport, park and ride services as well as a taxi and horse cab stage.

However, the initiative would only work with a more efficient public transport system, he insisted. It was also based on the assumption that more people would use public transport.

Mr Xuereb explained that the hub could be linked to the old railway tunnel that would lead directly to the proposed escalators to be located between the new Parliament and Opera House.

The transportation node will be located one level below street level on both sides of St. Magdalen Ravelin, while the taxis, cabs and karozzini would be located in a shaded area on the sides of the existing garden, where there is the RAF war memorial, Mr Xuereb said. The Tritons fountain could also be shifted to this area.

Mr Xuereb also suggested moving government departments and ministries in a new public administration development at Floriana (Belt Is-Sebh). The MCP car park could also increase its parking spaces and be roofed over with a landscaped public garden.

The projects can be funded by the private and public sector and possibly EU funds.