Band club bans parking as police, transport regulator remain mum

The police and Transport Malta are pointing fingers at each other over who is responsible for the week-long closure of Żurrieq’s main artery where the ground firework display will be held.

The middle part of Blue Grotto Avenue, the village’s main traffic artery, has been closed to traffic since the beginning of the week so feast enthusiasts can set up the ground fireworks display, which will be held tonight.

Barriers block the way for motorists heading towards Valletta and a solitary sign points to the left for a diversion. The situation is the same going in. The only option is for traffic – including route buses - to go through residential roads and traffic could be seen building up as cars from opposing directions tried to take a diversion, with parked cars making two-way traffic impossible.On Monday, the St Catherine Band Club sent a letter (copied to the police station) to residents asking them not to park their “so traffic can flow without any problems” between Tuesday and tomorrow.

The diversion is causing problems for buses and a spokesman for Arriva said that on some diverted routes it was “difficult for buses to pass due to badly parked cars blocking the road, for example cars parked across corners, and there have been instances of delays as bus drivers wait for the car owners to move obstructing vehicles”.

Kevin Schembri, the band club’s secretary, said the fireworks display was being held on the road in the light of stricter pyrotechnic regulations and insurance requirements. “We set up the display over a week so that we can do it as safely as possible,” Mr Schembri said.

He insisted the road closure was not a significant inconvenience, pointing out that in other instances roads were closed for a longer period.

“The diversion is also straightforward and, so far, there have been no accidents, touch wood,” Mr Schembri said. Tonight, he added, the band club would also pay for three wardens to ensure order.

When questioned about the case, Transport Malta said the questions should be directed to the police, who, in turn, said the permit was issued by Transport Malta and the local council.

Mayor Silvio Izzi Savona would not comment, saying that was within Transport Malta’s remit and not his.

A resident said the feast was a yearly inconvenience because he found it impossible to leave the village, even in cases of emergency, with the road being hogged by kiosks, traffic or people.

In previous weeks, residents leaving the village said they had to face impromptu road closures – with no police presence at all – as enthusiasts were erecting decorations using a small crane.