Updated: Valletta CVA system 'not working well' - Gatt

Transport Minister Austin Gatt admitted today that the Controlled Vehicle Access (CVA) system for Valletta, was not working well.

Speaking at a seminar on Valletta hosted by the Valletta Alive Foundation, the minister explained that despite the CVA, more cars were going into Valletta, when the aim should be to have fewer vehicles, particularly in the historic core.

Dr Gatt said that the way how St George's Square had been converted from a car park into a public square where people could relax was a typical example of what he would like to see in Valletta.

There was a misconception that people did not want to be weaned off their cars, he said,

Yet the majority of those who went to Valletta - 67% - used the buses.

60% per cent of people who travelled to Valletta by bus went there to shop, while 55 per cent of those who travelled by car went to Valletta to work, which meant that they left their car in Valletta or near by and occupied a parking slot.

Nowadays, in other cities, the centres were no-go areas for cars, Dr Gatt said.

When he spoke on the CVA, Dr Gatt said the current system was not working. In the past, there were 25,000 cars with a V licence to enter Valletta. Since the introduction of CVA, at least 50,000 cars had been driven into Valletta at least once and in one year that went up to 80,000, the minister said.

"This means the CVA is not working properly, I think it is too cheap' the minister said. He said the government was losing €700,000 a year from the running of the CVA.

"We're subsidising it with your taxes," he added.

Dr Gatt made his comments shortly before holding a press conference during which he announced details on the new bus service to be operated by Arriva. He also announced the introduction of fares for the use of the Park and Ride at Blata l-Bajda.