Park and Ride fee on the way?
The possible introduction of a fee for the park and ride service to Valletta is on the agenda of talks with the preferred bidder for the bus service, it has been confirmed.
The service has been free ever since it was introduced four years ago.
"The matter of possibly charging users of the park and ride system is on the agenda of ongoing negotiations with the preferred bidder for the new public transport operation," a spokesman for Transport Malta said.
The government is in the final stages of concluding an agreement with Arriva for the 10-year public transport contract.
The new public transport service would include three park and ride sites, including the one in Blata l-Bajda, which would be integrated into the new bus network, the spokesman said.
Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli said he was not aware of the possibility of introducing a park and ride fee and, thus, he preferred not to comment.
The park and ride service into Valletta started in November 2006 as part of the government's plans to cut traffic congestion in the capital. As a result of the Controlled Vehicle Aaccess (CVA) system, several streets, such as Merchants and St John, were pedestrianised and paved. Vehicles going into Valletta pay a fee according to their duration inside the capital.
The government initially planned to run the park and ride scheme through a private operator that would charge minimal fees, of about €1.40 per trip, for those who parked their car in Blata l-Bajda and took the shuttle minivan into Valletta. But it then decided that the scheme should be provided free of charge and the operation would be financed through income derived from CVA charges.
Figures issued last November showed that the TM paid CVA Technology Ltd €150,000 per month for the operation of the system.
The government raked in €2.1 million from the CVA system between May 2007 and the end of August 2009.
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joe black
Sep 15th 2010, 06:48
A simple question
Let’s play mathematics if from the park & ride to Valletta will come to cost €1.40 from other places I mean villages and cities around Malta how much will it come to cost?
Now many may understand why the bus fleet in Malta is the way it is with €.47 they couldn’t renovate it or make big changes.
This is a taste of what public transport is going to be welcome to Malta ARIVA and a huge thanks to our loved GOV.
Dr Joe Brincat
Sep 14th 2010, 20:12
When the planning application for park and ride was before MEPA, I was on the Board. It was clear that eventually it would be a private-public partnership and at a cost. Let's hope that government strikes the right deal, not as figures show with CVA. If it was intended to reduce traffic, while a fixed fee was payable to the private sector, the net result would reflect on public funds. If we want to find a real solution, then this has to come hand in hand with public transport, reformed etc, and made more convenient than using your own car. Routes have to be planned to cater for all citizens, not simply those who live near the main square of the village. Frequency must be staggered. Even fares have to be fair. Why should a person pay two fares because he has to change from one direction to another ? example: someone living in Gzira and has to go to Paola. Those who use their car have to park somewhere, and they have to pay.
Mark Zerafa
Sep 15th 2010, 06:59
I already pay, through my nose!
It's called registration tax, an ever-increasing road tax, levy on insurance, VAT on petrol, VAT on spare parts and servicing, and the occasional fine when caught unawares!
And what do I get in return? Substandard unsafe roads, wardens more adept to catch the unwary than to educate, and lack of parking! Now we're having residential parking schemes sprouting all over tha place, and next now, even park and ride at a fee!
Does every government believe the motorist is a cash cow?
Dr Joe Brincat
Sep 15th 2010, 08:58
@Mark Zerafa. What I was driving at was that parking from Blata l-Bajda to Valletta was clearly intended to be at a fee. When park and ride was made free, it was convenient for other reasons, mainly political. But eventually it was going to be at a fee. When round the table at MEPA the words private-public partnership were mentioned, it was clear that the private interests were not a philanthropic society. What I would really hate is an agreement similar to CVA, through which the net winner is CVA and the loser is the public purse.
And still what is worse is that it has not reduced traffic being driven through Valletta. Emissions come from driven cars not parked cars.
B. Cachia
Sep 14th 2010, 12:57
I think the introduction of a fee is just simple common sense. I can certainly understand why public transport should be subsidised but I can't see why parking should be subsidised. If there is a modest fee per hour, people wouldn't park their car there longer than they have to (thus denying use of the facility to others) and they wouldn't be discouraged from simply using the bus to go to Valletta, if they're not in a great hurry.
Chris Grillo
Sep 14th 2010, 07:26
I thought it only cost 47c from Tarxien to Valletta....a round trip of 94c....and they want people to pay 1.40Euros? I must be either nuts, or there is something wrong in my calculations... But then again, I haven't been to Valletta for ages, and I don't plan to EVER EVER use the present buses...ah..the beauty of a bicycle!!!
Maris White
Sep 14th 2010, 04:58
Has anyone thought about the implications such a charge would have on the many people working in Valletta? Any charge would be a burden!! All that money could be spent to enhance the public transport, build a proper bus station (with adaqute shelters) and mostly educate the public transport's employees!!
Frans Buttigieg
Sep 13th 2010, 22:09
Political parties and each individual politician must declare before the general election whether they will do away with all these payments and private companies including the wardens and return the roads to us taxpayers or else they can forget our votes. As others have said many times we shall vote and then write our complaints on the ballot paper. Get it political parties and politicians?
Dr Joe Brincat
Sep 13th 2010, 21:49
Some strange facts. The CVA company gets Euro 150,000 a month. From May 2007 to August 2009 that amounts to Euro 4,050,000. Revenue Euro 2,100,000. A loss of .... (without calculating the loss of revenue when we had the V licence to enter Valletta). My question : What were the projections before agreeing to pay Euro 150,000 a month ? Did it solve the traffic problem inside Valletta ? The answer is NO. More cars pass through than before, making sure that they do not stay more than 30 minutes. So more pollution. That is not the end of the story. Many parking spaces are taken by official government vehicles. Who pays for those ? Government pays CVA company which in turn pays back to Government ? There must be serious rethinking of the whole set up.
C Cassar
Sep 13th 2010, 17:46
Of course there should be a charge for the P&R facility. Those that say there will be an impact on shopping haven't got a clue about reality. A charge of €0.50 - €1 won't bother someone who will spend €20-€30 (or probably more) in Valletta. Why should the rest of the tax payers who don't use Valletta subsidise those that do? Or don't people understand where such subsidies actually come from? Anything paid for by the government comes from taxes that are collected from everybody. Also, for regular users of the facility, why not introduce an annual season ticket with an overall reduced rate?
George Cassar
Sep 13th 2010, 21:43
C Cassar your post is typical PN arrogance. Ask the Valletta shop owners whether they are happy with everything that Gonzipn is doing and whether it has affected them and their pockets. The more Gonzipn continues like this the greater will be the lesson that he will be given at the next election.
M. Calleja
Sep 14th 2010, 10:21
@C. Cassar: dan x'ragunament hu ! Qatt smajt bih il-kuntratt socjali. Jien probabli qed inhallas ghal bozza pubblika li ghandek tixghel fit-triq tieghek u inti thallas ghal P&R ... Veru ragunament ta' gharef Cassar .
John Atherton
Sep 13th 2010, 17:43
It is usual in the area I live in that you pay to park your car in a "pay and ride" carpark and that this fee entitles you to get on the bus to take you into the shopping centre of the town involved in the scheme. Perhaps this could be considered for Valetta. Whatever the outcome is, I am sure that it will not stop people ( either residents or visitors) from going into Valetta.
Philip Cassar
Sep 13th 2010, 21:47
John Atherton we do not care what you do in your area. This is in Malta, we pay our license which is skyhigh when compared with our wages, we pay it through our noses, we had parking removed and reserved for Valletta residents, and the whole plot is to allow PN friends to milk that last drops from the drivers. So no Atherton, we do not want to pay to fill the pockets of PN contributors.
M. Calleja
Sep 13th 2010, 16:41
Jekk il-gvern irid inaqqas l-ispiza wahda mill-affarijiet li jista' jaghmel huwa li jnaqqas il-personnel zejjed li hemm jahdem fil-Park and Ride ... spettur wiehed fuq is-sur u iehor gewwa l-Belt bizejjed. Kull fil-ghodu jkun hemm xi tnejn bil-qeghda gewwa l-kamra u xi tlieta ohra iduru u jilghabu bil-mobile fil-parking areas diversi. Mhux ahjar taghmlu roster u tibdew hekk trazznu l-ispejjez. Mhiniex kontra l-hlas ghas-servizz, ghalkemm ghandu zgur ikun hemm skemi li jagevolaw lil min jasal kmieni biex jidhol ghax-xoghol. Per ezempju li nhallsu 50c jew 1EUR jekk naslu qabel 7.45 am (il-hin li jibdew is-servizi tal-gvern). Imma jekk ser tintroducu l-hlas, ahna l-klijent li mbaghad nippretendu li jkollna servizz iktar tajjeb milli diga hu. Per ezempju li tigi eztiza x-shelter li hemm fil-parking area sabiex fix-xita in-nies ikollhom fejn jistennew minghajr ma jitilfu posthom; li jistab post iktar adattat fil-Belt fejn jieqaf il-vann u li wkoll ikun hemm shelters ghan-nies ... ma tahsbux li fejn qed tieqaf il-mini bus bhalissa huwa perikoluz? Dik il-bankina tizloq daqs mija u veru rajn a incidenti koroh ta' nies jizolqu. U issa s-sajf, ahseb u ara fix-xita x'ser jigri.
Paul Barrett
Sep 13th 2010, 16:39
On the basis of the figures quoted of income and expenditure regarding the CVA this system is shear financial madness and the contract should be terminated as soon as possible, if not immediately. Bring back the old system of a voluntary excess charge (Euro 50.00 per year, free to City residents) which at least put money in the coffers but to fork out so much money to no benefit to either City or Citizen is crazy.
P.Cassar
Sep 13th 2010, 13:52
THEREFORE; PAYING ROAD TAXES AND HAVING THE WORST ROADS IN EUROPE PAYING CVA......... FOR........... PARK AND RIDE NOW .........PAYING CVA .......AND......... PARK AND RIDE PN FINANCIAL STRATEGY AT ITS PEAK. POOR MALTA
ms ghoare
Sep 13th 2010, 13:22
Ara ahna il-maltin qatt m'ahna kuntenti , IN life there is no such thing as a free lunch .if you dont want to pay leave your car at home especially those who work in Valleta . a fee to park and ride will help maintain the carpark and make other park and ride in the future ,everywhere in the world car parks ,park and ride stands with a fee why is it us Maltese allways complain ,why dont we look at ut this way ,My car is parked in a safe place ,you have no worries as to get a ticket / fine why is it we allways slag the Goverment and not blame ourself for accting like children and wanting things for free, We should be gratfull we made use of the park and ride for free for all the 4 years now it,s time to stand up and pay ,LOL i know im gonna be bombarded from alot of you for what i wrote but we have to be realistic it is the 2010, have a good day all
Sergio Vassallo
Sep 13th 2010, 21:51
ms ghoare jekk trid thallas hallas int ghax ahna ma rridux inhallsu iktar milli qed inhallsu. Karozza safe? Mela ta tafx kemm insterqu affarijiet minn karozzi pparkjati hemmhekk? Hallina u ggibx skuzi izjed biex tipprova tiddefendi l-gvern ta' Dr Gonzi.
Stephen Baldacchino
Sep 13th 2010, 13:05
And here it comes....................... free park and ride.....yeeee right.
David Borg
Sep 15th 2010, 05:41
Bhallikieku hawn xi haga bxejn!
Mario Tabone
Sep 13th 2010, 13:04
As usual , lots of comments amounting to wanting everything for nothing !!! Will we never learn ? There are too many vehicles in Malta hence lack of parking and congestion on the roads. Nothing to blame the government for. This is just progress . The days of one car per family are long gone. So we need alternative arrangements, hence places like the Park and Ride. If you want the luxury of using your own vehicle then you have to be prepared to pay for parking. I wonder if these correspondents uttering all the negative arguments would prefer parking meters along the streets of Valletta ? We need to change our ways and forget about subsidies for everything . If we cannot afford to use a vehicle and pay for its upkeep and running costs then don't buy it in the first place and just use public transport as we did years ago. What a few of you need to do is visit local council websites in other countries and look at what they charge for parking for just 15 minutes or half an hour then maybe you would think twice before moaning too much.
Salvu Sciberras
Sep 13th 2010, 21:55
Mario Tabone what about their wages? In any case we do not care what they pay in other countries. Parking was free and must remain free. If the Government wants to help its supporters it can do it out of its politicians pockets not from our pockets.
Joe Bugeja
Sep 13th 2010, 21:57
Mario Tabone dan il-progress u l-gid li tghidu li gibtu lil Malta u l-Maltin fih? Triduna nnehhu l-karozza wkoll? Mela veru li qatt ma hmiltu lill-klassi tal-haddiema u lanqas karozza ma triduhom li jkollhom. Igri tasal l-elezzjoni hali ntukom l-akbar tkaxkira li qatt hadtu kemm ilkom tezistu.
Mario Tabone
Sep 15th 2010, 00:41
@Salvu Sciberras
You go on about wages......have a look at the minimum wage in the UK for example and what the cost of living is compared to Malta and hopefully you will see the light !!!!! Bit of advice mate...always check your facts and figures before making sweeping statements.
@ Joe Bugeja
All I can say to you my friend is dream on !!!! If God forbid the day ever comes when Maltese people lose their minds completely and trust you lot again to govern this island then all I can say is that we deserve what we get cause the few times your party have been in power this country has been virtually made bankrupt as we all know. Again if Maltese people want the dark times of not even being able to buy even the bar of chocolate they want amongst all the other things then we are all really out of our minds. God willing this will never happen .
victor pulis
Sep 13th 2010, 12:36
At the inception of the service there were several persons who suggested that a fee be introduced. Well, now it seems they will get their wish.
Karl Abela
Sep 13th 2010, 12:34
Whats the fuss? Doesn't everyone pay to park for shopping in Sliema as well? Besides, in every major city abroad you absolutely cannot park unless you pay, whether it is by parking meter or underground parking. Why should Malta be different? Whoever doesnt want to pay can take the bus, or else park in floriana and walk. It will do your waistline a huge favour.
Sergio Vassallo
Sep 13th 2010, 21:59
Karl Abela we do not care what happens in other cities Karl. We care what happens in Malta and what we always had for free is being given to private persons and companies.
Michael Catania
Sep 13th 2010, 12:19
When are the Maltese going to WAKE UP see what is going on around them. All the money that this government used to take in various charges and from which most of the nation profited from are now being hived off to private companies from which a selected few will profit handsomely. This park and drive is a typical example.There are other number of examples i.e. local wardens , gas distribution , the airport. It will interesting to know who the priveledged shareholders are.Why is this discredited govenment is doing its outmost to destroy what belongs to the nation to the detrement of its citizens, and Gonzi says that corruption is only a perception. I say to gonzi "Go and tell it to the marines" but then we don't have any in our forces.
R.Borg
Sep 13th 2010, 12:12
Jew b'xejn jew xejn!!!
Mhux hekk.
Mela allura dawk li jidhlu l-Belt bil-karozzi tal-linja ghandhom ma jhallsux!!!
Mhux hekk.
Jew b'xejn jew xejn!!!
Gens verament egojist.
Leonard Ellul Bonici
Sep 13th 2010, 11:55
Figures issued last November showed that the TM paid CVA Technology Ltd €150,000 per month for the operation of the system.
With that kind of money one can employ 150 people, never thought its that costly to operate
a CVA camera system a data software and a letter box.
Charles Micallef
Sep 13th 2010, 11:55
We have to ask ourselves, is there anywhere in today's world, where one parks his/her car for free for a full day, and get free transport to the city from the car and back?
YES, Only in Malta we expect it for nothing although one is not advocating exhorbitant parking fees, but a sensible rates that can be met by one and all.
Michael Gatt
Sep 13th 2010, 22:01
Charles Micallef if you are happy to pay we are NOT. I wonder whether you would have said the same if PL was in government. Let's see whether you will say the same if PL introduces some payment Micallef.
j bonello
Sep 13th 2010, 11:42
To V Bartolo
Tell me where you find free parking nowadays!
J. Debono
Sep 13th 2010, 11:37
What I fail to understand is this:-
47Euro cents from Mosta to Valletta
1.40Euro from Blata l-Bajda to Valletta
Am I missing something, or is this 'minimal fee' really an exorbitant fee?
R.Gauci
Sep 13th 2010, 11:36
This will be the first fee on the way! For any kind of service people use someone has always to pay in a way or in another, cause nothing is free in the world! I live abroad in Ireland and here if you need to park a car in any town or city centre during peak working hours you have to pay for it cause there is a parking meter system in operation and in fact some big shopping centres offer some free parking to attract customer(anyway sometimes you pay higher prices for the purchased items) I bet that this will be introduce soon in Malta to oblige people in the polite way to use the public transport and finance the subsidy which is going to be given to the new consortium to operate, I just hope that the so called reform will be a success?! I accept the fact to pay for services but unfortunetly in Malta 1) in most cases you don't get back value for money 2) the purchasing power of the people is quite low that is high cost of living with low wages compared to other developed EU countries!!
J. Schembri
Sep 13th 2010, 11:19
Offices in Valletta should move out - less expenses and hassle for the workers.
Jon Attard
Sep 13th 2010, 11:10
This is shameful. It is an ingeniously-devised mechanism for the extortion of money.
First we make sure that we have the Renzo Piano project so that we can close down the Yellow Garage, then we do our best to ensure that most parking spaces around Valletta are painted green so that only residents can park there (never mind that during the day the overwhelming majority of these parking slots are empty) and then we introduce a charge for using the inconvenient park and ride which is the last option for many frustrated workers.
Businesses in Valletta are being discriminated against as their clients and their employees already have to face higher costs to commute to the place to do business. This discrimination will now become more accentuated.
Perhaps it is hight time to teach whoever comes up with these brilliant ideas a lesson s/he will remember ... luckily election time is close.
VV Bartolo
Sep 13th 2010, 11:01
bye bye valletta shopping or cafeteria's ... we'll go elsewhere where parking is free!!!
Ramon Casha
Sep 13th 2010, 10:57
Another nail in Valletta's coffin. Why would anyone ever consider going there for shopping if you have to pay to even set foot in the city?
C Ellul
Sep 13th 2010, 10:55
Those who work in Valletta and have to use their own transport because the public transport is what it is, will have to fork out 2.8Eur per day .
The parking area is PUBLIC , the investement was made by OUR TAXES and we have to pay.
Those representatives who are paid by OUR taxes and are driven to their office paid by OUR taxes seem to have taken the " I'm OK F*** U Jack" mentality.
Shame all round all 65 of you.
V Azzopardi
Sep 13th 2010, 10:55
Its only fair to be charged but maybe one euro is enough. More than that then I will bus it to and from Valletta its more worth my while. Then again maybe that is exactly what is expected from us ...
T Camilleri
Sep 13th 2010, 13:43
NO V Azzopardi, IT'S NOT FAIR TO BE CHARGED BECAUSE THEY ARE USING PUBLIC PROPERTY FOR PRIVATE GAIN.
lgalea
Sep 13th 2010, 18:01
Not even 1c V Azzopardi. We are paying our license and expect to find parking without having to pay anything else. If the government wants to scratch the back of its friends and friends of friends than they do it out of their own pockets not ours.
Alfred Cassar
Sep 13th 2010, 22:54
@ I Galea, whatever you comment about you always involve politics. People in other countries do pay taxes as well, however they pay for the parking too. I would make a nominal payment of €1 for parking and ride. That would be enough to cover for the present loss of the service. We cannot expect everything for free, this is an expired mentality, we have to pay for every service we get and not use tax money to subsidise others, in this case park&ride users.
A.J.Borg
Sep 13th 2010, 10:42
€1.40 for a 2-minute ride is outrageous!! To make matters worse, the ditch beneath City Gate will be turned into a garden. Who cares about a garden down there?? It should be left as a car park.
jason abdilla
Sep 13th 2010, 11:21
€ 1.40 would have covered a full day parking fee and transport to and from valletta from what i understand.
I currently pay € 2 daily for parking in VLT and that includes a nice long sweaty walk every morning and evening.
I would say this rate would be far from outrageous.
A.J.Borg
Sep 13th 2010, 12:03
@jason abdilla Please get my point. First of all €1.40 is a one-way trip. Therefore it's already €2.80 a day for a return trip. Secondly, it is a two-minute ride so yes it's definitely expensive. Thirdly, you are paying €2 a day for a roofed carpark close to city gate. Are you ready to pay €2.80 for an open-air carpark, which is even more distant to valletta and having to wait for a van, at times for around 15minutes?
John Sammut
Sep 13th 2010, 13:45
Do you pay your vehicle licence jason abdilla? If you do why shouldn't the government provide free parking including in Valletta?
A. Schembri
Sep 13th 2010, 10:25
What is it with the Maltese population in general that they expect every service for free? Is it possible that people who are commenting against this have never travelled abroad and drove in foreign countries. Are not park and rides at a cost? Usually the cost covers the parking and transport from and back to the car park?
What I cannot understand is the lack of constructive comments but as we say in Maltese ' Hafna paroli fil vojt u bla sens'
There had been 'rumors' that the park and ride was free only in the interim to introduce people to it. Saying this nobody is being forced to use it. People can waste time trying to park elsewhere or use public transport. People shoudl wait and see what happens and whoever does not like the fee if at all, find other means. Justr the same like the NCP carpark. Public or private land has nothign to do with paying for a service.
lgalea
Sep 13th 2010, 10:42
A. Schembri first of all it was a dirty trick to get you hooked to it like a drug and then demand payment secondly yes, public land has got a lot to do with it because it is public land that is being used or is going to be used by a private company for its profits. Public land belongs to every citizens and not to a private company Schembri. I wonder whether you have any interest in the matter?
Jon Attard
Sep 13th 2010, 11:11
A.Schembri, if you remove a FREE service and set up an inferior one that most are compelled to use, the last thing one would expect is to have to pay for it too !
How naive can you possibly be?
A. Schembri
Sep 13th 2010, 11:31
I Galea
Just to assure you, no I have no interest in the matter. I am a pure Maltese Citizen on a salary paying my income tax to the country. But I do not expect a service for free. That is old fashioned mentality. And please don't put in political parties in this.
A. Schembri
Sep 13th 2010, 12:01
On what basis do you state that an inferior one is to be set up. Can you please forward a link to where you got this information? As I said, wait to see what is going to be provided, then if you don't like the service you have the choice of not using it. Spend the saved money going round in circles trying to park elsewhere, but beware the wardens, sabih because it will cost you more. Your choice. Please don not be naive by calling others naive.
Francis Buhagiar
Sep 13th 2010, 12:11
Mr Schembri aren’t you paying enough tax to get a free parking which belongs to you, or are you one of those who make it off with income tax?
Jonathan
Sep 13th 2010, 12:25
A.Schembri I do not expect services for free....however, I expect to park anywhere in my country for free since these roads where paid from my taxes. Why should we pay when we enter Valletta? Weren't these roads build from OUR taxis? This isn't a private car park.
Peter Korsten
Sep 13th 2010, 12:34
@A Schembri: You expect 'lgalea' not to involve politics? Next thing you know you don't want him to blame the EU for this. :) But yeah, since very few Maltese have lived and worked abroad, they're not used that things cost money. In Amsterdam, parking close to Central Station costs €4 per 57 minutes, with a maximum of €55 per day. As an alternative, you can park near the Ajax stadium, pay €2.20 per hour (daily maximum €22) and take the subway into the centre. Even though Dutch wages are considerably higher than Maltese ones, there's no comparison to what you would be paying here. The problem is, however, that the government has most of its services in Valletta and Floriana, that these services are woefully slow and inefficient, and that there's no decent way to get there, or to park close by. Try getting an ID card: you need to get to the other end of Valletta. Instead of building a City Gate, perhaps the government should have a single office with all its services in a central location close to major arteries; say, just outside Qormi.
JOHN O SCERRI
Sep 13th 2010, 14:23
The park and ride should distinguish between those whose everyday job is in Valletta and those who use this place occasionally. A simple pass for those who use this place for Free should be granted only to persons whose job is within the capital , just as is done for Mater Dei hospital workers. Other drivers entering Valletta are always faced with parkers in various zones so paying a nominal ticket of €0.20 to enter the capital should be enough. It is not a question of expecting all for free Mr. Schembri , this was an alternative issued by the Govt. to counteract the lack of parking in Valletta in view of transforming streets into pedestrian zones . There is nothing for free on this island....everything is forked out of tax payers money.
Paul Saliba
Sep 13th 2010, 22:11
A. Schembri you can keep your modern mentality of paying for everything to yourself.
Jon Attard
Sep 14th 2010, 00:51
A. Schembri ... thanks for proving me right. The allusion is not to a serivce that is to be setup, but to a service (or disservice) that has been set up already. The service removed has been the ability to go into Valletta and parking there for free, and the inferior one which we are now told we will have to pay for is the Park, Pay and ride.
mario aquilina
Sep 13th 2010, 10:19
Couldn't you lot see this coming, when it first started.
Next, will be the streets parking bays. I believe that the parking meters have already been imported by some clever dick, who sees into the future.
edward camilleri
Sep 13th 2010, 10:11
This will be the final nail in the coffin for business in Valletta, the Renzo Piano project at City gate is the last site in Valletta where an underground car park can be built, we already lost the main guard car park plus the other parking spaces that are now pedestrian or have been turned into resident parking only. Valletta is becoming another Mdina, a silent city, what is going to happen to the restaurants and coffee shops in the evening, and the hundreds of retail shops?
P. Montebello
Sep 13th 2010, 09:27
Can someone please tell us how much Government would have got if the Lm 20 excess fee on the road licence for vehicles entering Valletta would still be in place?
Dr. David Pollina
Sep 13th 2010, 09:24
If this is accurate, income from cva is 78,000 per month but the company running it is paid 150,000 per month - almost double ???
Before this scam, if I recall, the license charge of Lm20 used to bring in a positive of Lm500,000 per year, which would be €97,000 per month or more. So, we've gone from an income of about 1.2 million per year to a loss of over 900k - that is a net loss of over 2 million per year!
Simply absurd.
Anthony Paris
Sep 13th 2010, 10:08
Not if you are a CVA shareholder
Geoffrey Mifsud Farrugia
Sep 13th 2010, 09:21
Since it seems that the income from CVA charges is not enough, the system is being more than 50% subsidised by the Government.
The Governments income per month is circa € 78,000 but is paying € 150,000 for Park and Ride Scheme! If this was a private venture it would have gone bankrupt after the 1st year of operation!
Either forecasts from CVA are not reaching targets, or else someone did wrong homework when the scheme was provided free of charge.
JOHN O SCERRI
Sep 13th 2010, 09:12
How about improving the public transport system and make it 'State of the art' with regards to timing, availability,capacity, bus routes, and eco friendly trucks. and then talk about a fee for park and ride.
If bus routes and buses can be relied upon there will be reduced demand for park and ride facilites.
It is very frustrating that after so many tens of years we in Malta still lack a proper, efficient bus service similar to that found in nearly all European countries.
I have just come from visiting an eastern block country . Travelling by bus was a relief compare to that in Malta, and yes tickets are very cheap as well , even cheaper than those in Malta.
gcForte
Sep 13th 2010, 09:11
Il Malti jghid li " ta denbu twil, l-ewwel itik li trid, u wara idoqq it trumbetta bik "....Sa kemm tindara b`xejn, u imbaghad trid thallas. Ghal hekk is sindku tal Belt ipprefera li ma jikkumentax ghax jaf li A. l " business " fil belt jista jiggamja, ghax hwienet bhal ma hemm il belt, illum hawn ma kull belt u rahal, u ghanke ahjar, u B. In nies ikun jaqblilha li tibqa diehla il belt bil karrozza, u thallas bi " CVA ". Din tista tkun blata-forma ( platform ) ghal l "Arriva ", halli meta jiehdu l-kuntratt, jizdiedu il passigieri li juzaw it trasport publiku.
Alex Ciantar
Sep 13th 2010, 10:06
forget shops in Valletta or any other area for that matter .........buy from e-bay and from the comfort of your own home and don't get ripped off in the process!!!
P.Pulis
Sep 13th 2010, 09:11
PAY and RIDE
Ramon Casha
Sep 13th 2010, 13:51
No, no, no.
It's "PAY and GET TAKEN FOR A RIDE"
I M Dingli
Sep 13th 2010, 09:06
Is-soltu, art pubblika tintuza mill-privat u min fuq nigu iccargjati. Tajjeb hafna
R. Mallia
Sep 13th 2010, 08:47
what a shame! first people are forced to park outside Valletta because of CVA, now they will be forced to pay again for park & ride which was imposed on them, or... use public transport and pay...either way you see it people have to pay! Go on increasing people's expenses and discourage them further from shopping in Valletta! As the Maltese say "sejrin lura bhall-granc"!!!!