Council and ­businesses in talks over works in St Paul Street

Business representatives and the Valletta local council are in talks to find ways of closing St Paul Street without affecting business too harshly.

The Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU said it was told the work was expected to take 11 weeks and was planned to start between the first and second week of August. This was the information it had transmitted to businesses in St Paul Street.

However, the council has still not made details of the works public.

When contacted, mayor Alexiei Dingli said the public would be informed of the works through a press conference “this week”.

St Paul Street is one of only two entrances to Valletta by car and Dr Dingli has acknowledged that the road had become “a main artery”, especially following the closure of Pope Pius V Street, which ran above the old City Gate.

Earlier this week, the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprise – GRTU complained that businesses it represented were in the dark with regard to the plans of what will be happening in St Paul Street. But general secretary Vince Farrugia has said the GRTU was having talks with the local council and there seemed to be a “practical solution”.

The GRTU had complained Valletta is “one massive construction site” adding “it is incredible and completely incomprehensible how anyone in his true senses could dream of also closing St Paul Street”.

Dr Dingli had defended the decision to close one of Valletta’s two entry points in August saying it was the “quietest period of the year”.

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 Street is one of seven in Valletta the council will be upgrading through a private public partnership. Works – which include Hospital, Nicholas and North streets – is estimated to cost €160,000.