The long-awaited ferry service between the Three Cities and Valletta has now been operating for a couple of weeks as has the new lift leading to the Upper Barrakka.

Both services can be considered beneficial to all. The ferry, of course, has become a victim of its own popularity: it is just too small to cope with the demand.

Those of us who live in Senglea are finding it extremely difficult to catch it as it always leave Cospicua full, so only when the boat, on the return crossing from Valletta, has passengers wishing to come to Senglea does the ferry have room for us before going to Cospicua.

According to what I have been told, it is now up to Transport Malta to issue the necessary permits for the larger boat to start operating.

I urge the authorities to dispense with the red tape so that this wonderful operation would go from strength to strength and provide the full service it was designed for.

I take this opportunity to congratulate Senglea council for persuading Transport Malta to have the service include Senglea, which was excluded originally. The lift is the cherry on the cake, so to speak. Now the Grand Harbour is providing an alternative to the bus service, which for some reason is still having teething problems.