Transport Malta announces tender for construction of Cirkewwa terminal
Transport Malta has launched the civil works tender for the construction of the Cirkewwa ferry terminal, which will complement the existing facilities at Mgarr.
Major construction works are expected to commence towards the end of this year whilst the whole project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
In order to make way for the major works to take place and at the same time provide improved passenger facilities in the short term, temporary works are currently underway. The temporary facilities will include a passenger-holding shelter, public convenience units, police station, passenger drop off point, bus terminus and improved pedestrian walkways and signage. These facilities will remain in place for the duration of the main construction works.
Preparatory works to lay underground services and construct new kerbs, barriers, road markings and signage are underway, Transport Malta said.
The tenders for the temporary passenger shelter and public conveniences are currently being adjudicated. These facilities should be operational this summer and will provide passengers with protection from the elements, more comfort and convenience.
The Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal, budgeted to cost €12 million, will include a passenger-handling building together with elevated foot passenger gangways to the ships; vehicular marshalling and parking areas; a coach and public transport terminus; circulation and access roadways linked to the main arterial road network; a new police station; upgrading of existing quays including putting into operation the third berth at the North quay and other general enhancements.
"These facilities have been designed for access to all and to provide a positive travel experience for travellers between Malta and Gozo," Transport Malta said.
The new terminal building will host one of the largest photovoltaic arrays in Malta. Another first will be the installation of a wind turbine at the South side of the port. Through these installations plus other energy saving measures, the terminal will make substantial use of green energy to provide for its operation and thus reduce its carbon footprint.
The project is currently being considered for EU Funding under the Cohesion Fund (2007-2013). Through the new terminal, commuters and other travellers experience an improved inter-island transport network service in terms of efficiency, safety and comfort.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
22 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
M. Meilak
Sep 17th 2010, 08:37
@A. Camilleri
20 minutes?? do we use the same ferry? and you use Gozo Channel every weekend especially on Fridays!! you don't know what you are saying... I work in Santa Venera, leave work at 2.15 and arrive home at 4.30!
and bdw you're saying that crossing takes 20 minutes while the Gozo Channel on their recorded tape say at least 25 minutes.
You better have good information before leaving comments.
Yes, a bridge/tunnel would be very very helpful for the Gozitans.
M. Grech
May 9th 2010, 09:04
@Annette Camilleri: When you travel on a daily basis the scenery stops being stimulating or romantic, besides look at the thousands of man hours lost waiting by all travelling because of work, even if one board on the intended ferry. It's simply is not a 20 minute ride but at least 45 minutes (i.e. is without any delays), and if for some reason you have to wait for the next ferry then it becomes considerably longer especially at night if attending a social function in malta. If a Gozitan has a 15minute appointment in Valetta in practice this means at least 4-5 hours. So yes a fixed link would serve everyone better (perhaps a tunnel not a bridge) and would once and for all set those living in Gozo on an equal footing with those on Malta. Would it spoil Gozo? Don't think it would spoil it more than it is being spoilt now becasue that is a question of the mind set, of enforcement, not the fixed link. So stop romanticing and think about lost time. Tolls would keep a check on traffic volumes too.
Annette Camilleri
May 9th 2010, 14:43
@ M. Grech -
I have never been on the Gozo ferry and spent 45 minutes on it - it has always been 20 minutes from the minute it left until the minute I set foot off the ferry. Driving would take the same amount of time, or maybe save 10 minutes!
And I go to Gozo every weekend because half my family is Gozitan - so I know what I'm saying
Claire Busuttil
May 9th 2010, 02:17
@TM
what is the board doing at the victoria bus terminus...at the Taxi stand???? Saying that there is a freephone, to call a cab.......well I called and was told from an answering machine that this is not a freephone..(OK?!) then it tells you that the offices are open from Monday till Friday since i called on a weekend day.......I just spent money for nothing cause didn`t got the service......poor tourist, stranded at Victoria bus terminus without a bus service (ppl note that the last bus that leaves Victoria is at 1900hrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ) then without a taxi service......Prosit TM
Emmanuel Azzopardi
May 7th 2010, 19:37
Vera Maltese gemgem. Terminal vera sabih u komdu gewwa Ghawdex meta tqis ukoll ic-cokon tal-gzira. Il-kumpanija Gozo Channel li servizz ittih mill-ahjar li tista' inkluz fil-maltemp meta wiehed iqis is-sitwazzjoni tac-Cirkewwa. U issa ghax se jinbena terminal ic-Cirkewwa li zgur se jkun sabih daqs jew ahjar minn tal-Mgarr, tiga bdejna nikritikaw u ngorru. Ara hawn certu nies ghal gol-hajt ta, qeghdin sew. Jew qatt ma' hargu minn Malta jew miserabli u l-passatemp taghhom igorru. Inbidlu halli tferhu lil ta' madwarkom.
P. Barbara
May 7th 2010, 19:03
Haga ohra ta min jinnota li l-ebda partit ma jsemmi li ghandu jigi bridge bejn Malta u ghawdex ghax jafu li l-ghawdxin ma jrieduhx u allura jitilfu l-voti Mintoff biss kien tkellem dwar dan il-progett fil-parlament fl-1986 imma qamu l-ghawdxin u qallu LE. Imma nahseb li ssa qeghdin fl-EU u fis-sena 2010 nahseb wasalna ghal bridge metta anke pajjizi differenti ukoll b'xi mod qed jinaqdu hudu Franza u l-Ingilterra.
M.Farrugia
May 7th 2010, 18:23
@ P Barbara dak li ghid huwa kollu minnu. Izda insejt tghid li l-istess meet ta esperti lil Mintoff kienu qalulu hekk fl-ahhar. "what is the use of joinging a dot with a smaller dot" Din hija ir-raguni. Jekk tqalleb it-Times of Malta ta' dak iz-zmien issib artiklu dwar dan ir-rapport.
Annette Camilleri
May 7th 2010, 17:41
What is the problem with you people? We have an amazing sea, crossing between Malta and Gozo takes only 20 minutes (ok, being completely honest, a bit more if you happen to miss the ferry), the ride is relaxing - you have the opportunity to sit down and relax for 20 minutes whilst watching the beauty of Comino, Gozo harbour and Ghajnsielem and the really amazing sea - and you want a bridge? Why? So you can drive for 30 minutes? I cannot understand what a bridge would do to make the situation better. I mean, I really don't understand, maybe someone could explain the benefits of it. But I think a bridge would only increase pollution and it would not solve any existing problems really.
Joseph calleja
May 7th 2010, 17:37
Please be thankful that this terminal is being built. It will be a welcome sight for whoever uses the ferry constantly and a welcome sight for the visitors. The way it is now is a waste and a dangerous operation but let's wait and see how it looks and operates when it's finished. My only hope is that they re-do the road between Ghadira and Cirkewwa especially the part from the Madonna, top of the hill to the Cirkewwa terminal. My other hope is that they act wisely and install a railing on the Marfa/Cirkewwa promenade if you can call it that. We need a decent walkway/promenade between the Ferry terminal at Cirkewwa to Marfa so a person can walk between the two points without fearing the high dangerous ledge and the traffic.. Maybe this so called promenade should take presidency before a serious accident happens. Children have fallen off that ledge already. Now we wait.
lgalea
May 7th 2010, 15:08
Build a bridge and stop wasting money on these "projects????"
J Abela
May 8th 2010, 03:31
You know that a bridge crossing the Gozo Channel would cost in the region on 5 billion Euro? You have absolutely no idea what you're saying!
Jesmond Micallef
May 7th 2010, 15:04
I welcome this new development. I strongly support mass transportation systems such as ships. They are much more efficient than say small fixed wing, fixed infrastructure type of machinery.
Andrew Cassar
May 7th 2010, 13:50
i hope that it will ready until the end of 2012 i dont want to spend more taxes on unfinished projects heqq
Paul Busuttil
May 7th 2010, 13:35
I hope this terminal will not be an eyesore like the Mgarr terminal .
A disgrace to the architects profession.
a. zahra
May 7th 2010, 16:05
Why not take advantage of the situation and design a terminal yourself and sell it to the opposition? You will become its hero and it will then have the opportunity for another xenata.
ROBERT HENRY BUGEJA
May 7th 2010, 13:34
....Just Bridge the islands. Fullstop. Were are in the middle of the Med not in the massive Pacific Ocean.
P. Barbara
May 7th 2010, 15:06
Mr Bugeja, biex tkun taf, il-Perit Duminku Mintoff ried jaghmel bridge bejn Malta u Ghawdex u kien ga kellu rapport u pjanti lesti kif kien sa jigi u mibni u kellu mieghu l-ghajnuna ta l-aqwa enginiera u teknici koreani ta Kim il Sung dan kien fl-1986 imma ghal xi raguni li jafu biss l-MPs kemm tal-PL u kemm tal-PN qatt ma riedu bridge.
r ferriggi
May 7th 2010, 12:58
this is good news from whatever angle you look at it.
but to be frank,,, manypeople are fed up of the overall shabby and inefficient gozo channel service atogether.
we need:
1. virtu ferries style of catamaran ( please private sector, we pray for your intervention!)
2. a regular air link ( fixed wing ) to gozo from luqa.
only when Gozo channel is challenged will we get better service.
and by the way,,,,, when s the mellieha to cirkwwa road beingupgraded?? it is a mess.
Jaclyn Magrin
May 7th 2010, 13:10
I think that Gozitans will benefit mostly from this terminal seeing how it is us who have to wait at the terminal to go back home. So has the bridge idea been completely ruled out?? What with the costs being put towards the terminals and the gozo channel, maybe a bridge would be the next step?
John Vassallo
May 7th 2010, 13:30
Oh come on, Gozo Channel is not so bad! Why would we need a catamaran if we get to Gozo in less than 20 minutes with the Gozo Ferry? Just for it to be prettier? Well, then the fee would be made MUCH larger, and I'd much rather pay less and look at the sea and Comino instead! The lounges are respectable anyway!
It's not inefficient either - ferries always leave and arrive on time, and sometimes there are even extra ferries when the queue of cars is too long!
Regarding the air link, there was one but it was rarely used. However the service is still available - one can make an appointment and use the service, so the it is still there for whoever needs it. Maybe it just needs to be marketed more, or be made part of the Air Malta website so people can have access to it.
But really, Gozo Channel may not be perfect, but it's efficient, cheap and fast. The lounges are always clean, and once the Cirkewwa terminal is completed, then the upgrade will be super.
Ann Grima
May 7th 2010, 13:34
@ Jaclyn Magrin
Huh? The Gozo terminal has been ready for ages, meaning the Maltese can wait comfortably inside, in the ac in Summer and warmth in Winter. We don't have to wait outside late at night, so I think it was us, the Maltese who had the benefit to use a terminal first.
I think it's about time now that the Gozitans can wait comfortably whilst waiting for the ferry to go home in a new Cirkewwa terminal.
I can't understand your reasoning!!
J Caruana
May 7th 2010, 16:22
Gozo Channel is a natural monopoly. You cannot challange it as there is not enough demand for more than 1 company to be financially efficient to operate. Thus, if another company challanges Gozo Channel, one of the company will not survive within 3-5 yrs. Thus, the best option would be a bridge and use the employees of Gozo channel for bridge up-keeping. (To satisfy the unions). But this will not happen any time soon because there are a lot of conflicts of interest, no funds, no skills and no know-how to build the bridge.