New pavement for pedestrians or cars?

It has taken long weeks of ministerial workers’ time and energy to plan, and action, new pavements in St Anthony Street, Sliema, the steep hill leading from Tigné Street down to Tigné Seafront. In fact, at the upper section, works will still be ongoing by the time this letter is published.

The main point of this contribution is to draw the attention of the relevant minister and all other entities concerned that pavements are there for pedestrians and not for vehicles to use as parking bays. This is particularly the case in St Anthony Street. Vehicles may have been permitted to park in the lower section of this street, and this with all the problems these caused when larger than normal vehicles had to make their way through this street only to find obstruction by such parked vehicles, even if these had been correctly parked.

Following pressure by residents and visitors alike, the minister has, very willingly, introduced that long-awaited paving in the lower part, besides improving the remainder of the pavements in the other sections of St Anthony Street. Thank you minister.

However, two questions arise: why have bollards not been placed in the entire area on this newly introduced pavement? Also, why on earth are vehicles still being permitted to park, on the new pavement if you please, in this lower section of the street? Wardens shrug off all responsibility indicating that there are no signs that prevent vehicles from parking there. As for the Sliema local council, the mayor, secretary and all simply continue in the dormant world they have been in for far too long, and the least said the better!

Finally, could the minister perhaps go one step further and put this place in order once and for all, please?

Pavements are there for pedestrians to use, not for vehicles.