Ben Muscat, CEO, Midi plc, Sliema
No more traffic in Tigné
Midi plc disagrees with proposals that suggest all traffic be rerouted away from central Sliema towards Tigné Point.
The company has noted recent comments concerning a possible rerouting of the Sliema traffic scheme, which implied that Midi was somehow in favour of rerouting traffic away from Bisazza Street and Tower Road in order to benefit their new retail mall, The Point.
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 Tigné peninsula.
We have always maintained that it would be preferable to have both Bisazza Street and Tower Road, as well as the Tigné tunnel, open and available so that motorists could select their preferred route as in the past. We believe that this solution will result in less traffic and congestion for all.
Midi constructed the Tigné tunnel to the original size and specifications as one of the infrastructural works that it was obliged to carry out under its lease agreement contractual obligations with the government. Midi, in fact, formally transferred the tunnel to the government in April 2008 and is not involved in discussions with the government or its representatives concerning its traffic strategy 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).
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Simon Camilleri
Mar 23rd 2010, 15:54
An increase in the size of the Ferries Car Park was part of Perit Martin Debono's plan for the embellishment of the Ferries. This was approved by the Sliema Local Council just prior to the elections in a minuted meeting. This plan was acceptable to all (i.e. the residential and business communities). Nothing has ever been heard of it since.
Censu Scerri Resident
Mar 23rd 2010, 11:27
May I take this opportunity to point out to Mr. Muscat that since The Point opened its doors, traffic in the surrounding streets increased much more, mainly due to visitors going round & round looking for free parking instead of using The Point's underground parking facilities. I'm told that people are finding it too expensive to use the carpark & all this comes at great cost to us residents in the area. We've always had this problem to a certain extent, but with the opening of The Point, it's become absolutely impossible to park anywhere near home. Why didn't Midi make their car park attractive to users? It's basic marketing: make parking cheaper & more people might come to The Point, stay for longer & maybe spend more money there. What about giving partial/full parking refunds when spending money at The Point? Couldn't this be another option? When it comes to such developments, unfortunately the area's residents aren't taken into any consideration whatsoever, and there is no attempt at synergy within the existing community. We've already had to put up with years of construction dust, cranes, etc. & now this parking nightmare is the proverbial cherry on the cake.
Jacqueline Borg
Mar 23rd 2010, 16:04
I agree with Censu Scerri Resident. I live in St Anthony Street from where all traffic has to pass when Bisazza Street is blocked since the road around Tigne disappeared in the Midi progect. The sign saying 'We appologise for any inconvenience' has been there for 10 years and for 10 years we have suffered much inconvenience. It seems that it will only be getting worse.