Midi not lobbying for re-routing of Sliema traffic - CEO

Tigné Point developer Midi plc on Thursday said it disagreed with proposals for all traffic to be re-routed away from central Sliema towards Tigné Point.

The company was reacting to recent comments concerning a possible re-routing of the Sliema traffic scheme which implied Midi was somehow in favour of re-routing traffic away from Bisazza Street and Tower Road in the town's commercial centre to benefit its new retail mall, The Point, on the Tigné peninsula.

"We are certainly not lobbying for a scheme that proposes to divert traffic from either Bisazza Street or Tower Road - let alone both of them - towards Tigné, as this will simply push traffic that would have otherwise circulated in the general Ferries/Tower Road/ Bisazza Street area towards the already busy peninsula," chief executive officer Ben Muscat said.

He added that Midi had always maintained it would be preferable to have both Bisazza Street and Tower Road, and the Tigné tunnel open and available so that motorists could select their preferred route as they used to do in the past. This solution will result in less traffic and congestion for all.

Mr Muscat said Midi had constructed the tunnel to the original size and specifications as one of its obligations in the lease agreement signed with the government.

Midi formally transferred the tunnel to the government in April 2008 and is not involved in discussions with the authorities on traffic strategies for Sliema other than on how this dovetails with other works in Tigné Point.

"Of course, it would have been desirable if The Point could be accessed from the Qui-si-Sana side in addition to the Tigné seafront side, by the Fortina Hotel," Mr Muscat said.