Matthew Xuereb
St Paul Str to close for 11 weeks
Works ‘completed by October’
St Paul Street, one of two main roads allowing motorists access to the heart of Valletta, will be closed for between nine and 11 weeks for roadworks. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Getting into the heart of Valletta will become a greater sticking point for motorists from next month when St Paul Street, a main artery since work on the City Gate project started, is closed for up to 11 weeks.
Valletta local council is planning roadworks from the first week of August in what has become one of just two entry roads into the capital.
Mayor Alexiei Dingli defended the decision saying August was chosen because it was “the quietest period of the year”.
With barely one week to go before works start, traffic arrangements are still being drawn up and Dr Dingli said this was being done in collaboration with Transport Malta to minimise the inconvenience as much as possible.
The project will be split into two phases, with the first covering the stretch between the Office of the Prime Minister in Castille Place and Old Theatre Street. The second phase will cover the area between Archbishop Street and Old Hospital Street at the lower end of Valletta.
St Paul’s is one of seven streets in Valletta the council will be upgrading through a private public partnership. Work on the seven streets, which include St Paul, Hospital Street, Nicholas Street and North Street, is estimated to cost €160,000.
New water and sewage services will be laid and Melita will instal its telecommunication cables afresh. The steps on either side of the street will be repaired.
Although a traffic management plan had not been drawn up yet, the idea was to change the direction of traffic going through certain roads to make Valletta accessible, Dr Dingli said.
Delivery vans, which at present access Valletta through St Paul Street and turn into Melita Street, will still be able to enter the city to make their deliveries but will have to go through the top of Merchants Street. This will be confirmed by the traffic management plan once finalised. The mayor acknowledged that St Paul Street had become “a main artery”, especially following the closure of Pope Pius V Street, which ran above the old City Gate, but said the council had “no option” but to carry out the work in August.
This was the quietest month, including for businesses, and the works would be completed by October, before the Christmas season rush.
He said the council had been discussing the project since January and had also consulted the Chamber for Small and Medium Businesses – GRTU. It was, in fact, a GRTU representative who informed shop owners in St Paul’s Street about the roadworks.
Some owners of businesses in St Paul Street said that, while the road was in dire need of an upgrade, August was not the right time for it. They said that since Arriva started operating the public transport service, introducing several hubs rather than having a centralised one in Valletta, people were barely going to the capital anymore.
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Franco Abela
Jul 24th 2011, 18:16
Jien nahdem il-Belt.... immur ghax xoghol sar NIGHTMARE ta' kuljum!!!!
L-ewwel ma naghmlu xejn imbghad kollox f'daqqa irrifu naghmlu! L-anqas qatt ma xtaqt nieqaf nahdem daqs illum. Stress ta kuljum biex nasal ghax xoghol, sia bil-karozza u sia b'tal-linja.
Alfred Fenech
Jul 24th 2011, 15:47
Why not close the entire city. Its half dead anyway.
Rita Debono
Jul 24th 2011, 21:28
I totally agree. Besides, why go through all that hassle to go shopping in Valletta when there are so many other towns and villages where one can get all the shopping done (including online)? Venice is still referred to as "La Serenissima." Let's hope Valletta won't end up with the title of "La dolce deceduta."
JOSEPH VELLA
Jul 23rd 2011, 22:52
U jaħasra fi Triq San Pawl kemm baqa' negozju. Qisna drajna kull ħaġa li tipprova ssir ġħall-aħjar naqbdu nibku.
Mr Anthony Pace Gouder
Jul 23rd 2011, 18:32
What a joke 'Strada San Paolo a MAIN artery'!!!!!!!!!!
A road so steep is not even experienced , surely its gradient not acceptable by European Standards ,on any main Mountain road all over Europe, let alone in a City !
Mr joseph saliba
Jul 23rd 2011, 18:17
Valletta should be entirely pedestrianised - karozzini only. Traffic to use the ring road only. In ten years time all all moaning is forgotten and Valletta will become world famous for its clean environment besides the rich historical heritage. Imagine... Venice = gondolas, Valletta = karozzini and dghajsa too.
Mdina pedestianisation has been a success. Sliema on the other hand should be a no-more-buildings zone.
Glenn Ciantar
Jul 24th 2011, 11:06
If you think that with the Karozzini it will be a clean city, I have my doubts. Have you ever been near the Evans Building, in front of the Dar il-Mediterran or else in Pjazza San Gorg where there used to be the horses shelter? If not, have a walk from where the Karozzini pass and you should see and smell the remains of the horses.
Glenn Ciantar
Jul 23rd 2011, 17:29
Mayor Alexiei Dingli defended the decision saying August was chosen because it was “the quietest period of the year”.
With barely one week to go before works start, traffic arrangements are still being drawn up and Dr Dingli said this was being done in collaboration with Transport Malta to minimise the inconvenience as much as possible.
2 quotes which made me shiver!!! I learnt that doing something in collaboration with TM will always result in total CHAOS. Where will all those cars will be parked? From where we will be getting to go to wor? It seems that our PRIME MINISTER and the memebers of the parlament on both sides don't give a hack of us workers as they already have Republic street for their own parking and quite frankly I say that from 11 weeks it will take about 20 weeks to be ready !!!!!!!!
Mr N. Agius
Jul 23rd 2011, 16:11
This morning I have been in Valletta and I admit that I am impressed by the work going on. Valletta's hidden treasures are being restored. Though I am usually critical of the goverment, I must admit that the overhaul was necessary. Once finished everybody will be proud more than ever of our capital city.
Mr C Cassar
Jul 23rd 2011, 16:06
Hopefully the plans will include removing many of theparking places in such streets. Just look at the photo, a beautiful street marred by hundreds of ugly cars.
It's about time that the pedestriansation in Valletta that has already been completed is now expanded into other nearby streets. It's totally unacceptable to allow so many cars whether resident or not into such a city.
More pedestrianisation please.
Mr Tony Camilleri
Jul 23rd 2011, 23:52
Mr C Cassar why don't you comment on your own country and stop trying to destroy more parking spaces?
DO you have an interest in private parking Mr C Cassar?
Victor Pulis
Jul 23rd 2011, 14:04
With barely one week to go before works start, traffic arrangements are still being drawn up and Dr Dingli said this was being done in collaboration with Transport Malta to minimise the inconvenience as much as possible.
When I read the above I broke out in sweat and my heart missed four beats.
Joan Nelson
Jul 23rd 2011, 17:19
Same here Mr Pulis. I thought 'what the heck'. Would be good to solve one problem before creating another.
I paid a visit to Valletta on my last trip over. As happened with the old market place on Merchant Street when that went under reconstruction, Valletta is slowly being changed and shunned by the locals. They will stop going there. It now caters for tourists not Maltese. So long - Valletta. The ghosts of the Knights are being chased back into their graves, their undertones never to be felt again.
Mr Joe Camilleri
Jul 23rd 2011, 17:29
Like Like Like.
Joseph Pawney
Jul 23rd 2011, 13:31
Xi darba trid issir uxx...Jien nahseb li St.Pauls Str kella issir qabel ma waqa bieb il-belt pero.
Mr Carmelo Micallef
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:46
Well done Mayor Dingli
Old Bakery Street please please please
Mr Andrei Azzopardi
Jul 23rd 2011, 13:30
Old Bakery Street is in need from Old Theater street and all the way down else it is ok...
Mr Carmelo Micallef
Jul 23rd 2011, 14:06
Yes, thank you
Mr Paul Cassar
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:43
INSISTING AND PERSISTING IN TOTAL MISMANAGEMENT OF EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE.
POOR MALTESE.
Sandro Magri
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:28
Aqwa mill -Assedju l-Kbir ha tkun protteta l-belt ghax ma tista tidhol minn imkien issa !
Kif ha jitaxxqu turisti!!
Mr Richard Caruana
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:08
What about alternative parking arrangements for both residents and visitors; as can be seen from the photo there must be hundreds of cars parked on this street.
Reuben D. Spiteri
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:08
Up to three months to finish ONE road which, as all Valletta roads, isn't that wide? Could the person responsible for the works give a breakdown of each phase and time required for each (removal of old tarmac, preparation of underlying layers, resurfacing, etc.)?
Ara vera Malta tac-cajt!
JOSEPH VELLA
Jul 23rd 2011, 22:47
Jekk int daqshekk bravu, ġħax ma' tissuġġerriex xi ħaġa ?. Ġħax jien niskanta kif b'daqs dawn ġħorrief li jikkumentaw fuq dan is-sit u jridu jimpressonaw kemm jafu jiktbu bl-Ingliż, kif f'Malta ġħandna l-problemi.
Ħallina.
Mr Michael Buhagiar
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:08
St Paul sstreet is in dire need of upgrading. So why all this fuss. After the pains come the gains. for each and every one. we have to suffer to enjoy. And this work must be done before the rain season and not the contrary. Cant we understand simple logistics? We dont need no traffic management plans only let's get the work done and with zeal.
Stephen Koludrovic
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:03
In all fairness, a 11 week closure of a street for a state-of-the-art project is not such a long time to wait.
Mr Steve Sant
Jul 23rd 2011, 11:58
Quiet in august?. You should have said "It has now become quiet all year round and no longer a city to be proud of, please stay away". Unbelievable.
Stephen Koludrovic
Jul 23rd 2011, 11:14
Would the Valletta council be so kind as to also fix the slabs in Zachery street, as quite a few seem to be loose.
A couple of days work on it should get the job done.
Ms Gillian Snook
Jul 23rd 2011, 11:09
*{Mayor Alexiei Dingli defended the decision saying August was chosen because it was “the quietest period of the year”.
St Paul Street, a main artery since work on the City Gate project started, is closed for up to 11 weeks.}*
Since when did August last for 11 weeks?
Anthony Borg
Jul 23rd 2011, 13:47
Dear Valletta Mayor leave TM alone: bring the Japs and they will finish it in 6 weeks!
Ms M. Bartolo
Jul 23rd 2011, 15:47
Anthony Borg,
I think you meant 6 days not 6 weeks
Frank Fenech
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:54
This is sheer lunacy, and the best joke of the year, especially that its being done in collaboration with TM. Is it Transport Malta or T al M isthija after the fiasco we've seen this week in Marsa
Mr Reginald Borg
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:50
Long live the prophets of doom!
Long live the prophets of gloom!
Long live the maltese gerger!
Long live the maltese gdiedem!
Long live the spoilsports!
Long live the politically envious!
Long live the politically jealous!
Take their advice, Dr. Dingli, and shift these works for October-November-December 2011.
JOSEPH VELLA
Jul 23rd 2011, 22:55
Yeah Yeah well said
John Carmel Navarro
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:49
Oh what a circus oh what a show surely anyone with an ounce of common sense would work out that August is not the time for these road works, now that St Pauls Street is one of only two access roads in our Capital City surely the major in his infinite wisdom could have mentioned what alternatives he is going to provide for entry. Arriva have managed to single handed blight Valletta, now the Local Council is doing their best to hammer another nail into the coffin. I am very much for what needs doing to be done but hey at the moment our little Island would hands down manage an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest building site.
francis Buhagiar
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:44
what about passing all wireing under ground? those wires hanging on the facades of our morvilous buildings are an insult to oour historical architecture.
Victor Pulis
Jul 23rd 2011, 14:12
I have just returned from a week in the Tyrol and Bavaria. Everywhere I went I never saw one single wire on the building facades. The place is spotlessly clean and the organization is unbelievable. I saw road works being conducted and I saw the impeccable results. Why can't we emulate these people? i did not mention the natural beauty because that doesn't depend on us but common sense is not a monopoly of the Austrians or the Bavarians. When will we ever learn?
Maria Zammit
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:42
Definetly not the right time for works. Works are goind to be delay over the Christmas period for sure as the works are planned to co-incide with the rainy season. Imagine all that debris flowing down St. Paul's Street.
Why aren't works planned to start when the winter season is over. If St. Paul's Street has waited years for an upgrade surely it can wait until either the Piano project is ready or until winter is over?
Stephen Koludrovic
Jul 23rd 2011, 12:49
If we had to wait till the Piano projet is ready, we'd end up in neverland.
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:25
Froga wahda wara l-ohra, lin-negozjant itelfu il-flus u huma biz-zieda ta Euro 500 fil-gimgha mit-2008.
JOSEPH TANTI
Jul 23rd 2011, 15:50
Veru kas. Kollu nuqqas ta' hsieb. Din it-triq, imissa saret sewwa sew qabel beda l-progett ta' Bieb i-Belt, mela issa. Il-Ministru mill-Belt, bhali, kien jaf biha, it-tumbati li ilu fijha. Jahassra ma tafux kemm se tigieh lin-negozjant li diehel u hiereg il-Belt ta' din il-hasara kollha, minn ser ihallsu taghha? Il-kontjiet tat-taxxi jibqghu gejjin xorta fil-hin u fil-waqt, allahares taqbes gurnata.....tehel taghha. U issa? Kul jekk ghandek, jekk m'ghandekx ........ghalaq! IFTHU STRADA MERKANTI MILL-GIDI U AGHTU NIFS GDID LILL-BELT!!!! Gibtuha cimiterju jahassra. Kissirtuha l-Belt. NEGOZJANT.
Mr Eric Soames
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:11
'Although a traffic management plan had not been drawn up yet,' ... yeah, that seems about right, let's wait until we start ripping up the street surface.
Mr Stanley Fenech
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:10
"this was being done in collaboration with Transport Malta to minimise the inconvenience as much as possible"
Are we sure the inconvenience will be minimised?!!?
Mr Mario P. Sciberras
Jul 23rd 2011, 10:09
Can somebody explain to me what the following means
"St Paul’s is one of seven streets in Valletta the council will be upgrading through a private public partnership"
salvu azzopardi
Jul 23rd 2011, 09:52
Dear all, have you by any chance consulted any traffic arraingments with the emergency ambulance service at MDH ? Or as usual this service has been left without any directions!!
Mr Daniel Jones
Jul 23rd 2011, 09:47
Another reason to avoid Valletta altogether.
k abela
Jul 23rd 2011, 09:25
gejja kummiedja glorifikata ohra! l-ewwel naghmlu it-toroq jiswew flus kbar bil-hardstone paving imbghad inhallu jghaddu il-karozzi minn fuqhom! pajjiz tal-mickey mouse!! u traffiku galore?! mhux bilfors ma jistax isir traffic management plan bis-sens!! jahasra Valletta! Daqqa ohra!
James Aquilina
Jul 23rd 2011, 09:25
Dr Dingli.
August is the busiest month after December.
Please get your head out of your backside, open your eyes and look around you!!!!!
Your actions, including those of TM and Certain MPs (I don't need to mention names here) are killing the capital!!!!!
Mr Lawrence Mifsud
Jul 23rd 2011, 09:20
The thought that Transport Malta is involved in the traffic management, gives me the creeps.....LOL