City Gate will come down next month

Valletta’s garage-like main gate would be demolished next month when traffic would enter the capital through St Mark Street near Marsamxett, the Transport Minister said yesterday.

Austin Gatt said plans for traffic circulation in Valletta had been presented to the planning authority when the project was approved and information campaigns would be launched in the coming weeks.

The road above City Gate is the main entrance point for traffic into Valletta but this will change because Renzo Piano’s plans do away with the road altogether.

“Work on the City Gate project is on time and within budget,” Dr Gatt told at a press conference yesterday as he gave an overview of his ministry’s work over the past three years. The press conference was held aboard a supply vessel that took journalists for a tour of the Marsaxlokk breakwater works.

He pointed out that work on a master plan for the regeneration of the Palace once Parliament moved out would soon be completed.

Lauding the new public transport service that will start in July, Dr Gatt said there were no plans to make personal car use less attractive as an incentive for people to use buses. “A private car will always remain more comfortable if you are assured of a parking space close to the intended destination. But we have to wait and see how the new bus system works before taking any decisions,” he said, insisting that for the first time the public transport system was governed by a contract that stipulated penalties for failings.

Dr Gatt said major infrastructural works were under way to upgrade and maintain a number of mari-time assets including a €10 million refurbishment of the Marsaxlokk breakwater. Another €12 million would be spent on a new sea passenger terminal in Ċirkewwa and €23 million on a major upgrade of the deep water quay in Marsa.

Dr Gatt said three projects in Grand Harbour – the alignment of Lascaris Wharf and major developments along Barriera and Boiler wharfs – would provide three new berths for big cruise liners. The three projects are expected to cost about €17 million.