The Transport Ministry is actively evaluating potential options for the “abandoned” park-and-ride car park in Blata l-Bajda after more than two years of disuse.
The open-air car park used to accommodate some 200 cars but the site has remained relatively empty since the free shuttle service to Valletta was discontinued by Arriva in 2011.
This has resulted in the residential and commercial areas of Blata l-Bajda experiencing a significant increase in congestion and pollution caused by the large number of vehicles vying for one of the limited parking spots.
“We get to work stressed and our clients are hesitant to come to our offices,” said Christopher Mintoff, an architect whose offices are adjacent to the site.
Our main aim was to reduce congestion by offering a shuttle service
Local business owners wrote to the ministry last year describing the car park as a “wasted resource”, which they claimed was negatively impacting their businesses.
Operators said their several calls and e-mails to the transport authority in the past were ignored, as both Arriva and the transport authority would not take responsibility for the running of the parking facilities.
“I called and sent in e-mails but kept getting sent to and fro.
“This could be solved quite easily – just change the car park system,” said Sandro Borg, a local business owner who claims the facility’s prohibitive prices had put many off using it.
Parking in the Blata l-Bajda car park costs €3.75 a day, which would add up to a little over €1,000 a year. Originally, the plan was for the service to be financed through funds sourced from Valletta’s traffic management system.
However, in 2010, that plan changed and the Government decided to charge for the service.
A Transport Malta spokesman said the park-and-ride system was designed to promote public transport and not to provide parking for neighbouring offices.
“Our main aim was to reduce congestion by offering a shuttle service, especially since parking in Valletta has decreased significantly. This was not aimed at local businesses,” the spokesman said.
However, the Transport Ministry now says the car park’s use is being revisited but did not identify any specific considerations at this point.
Blata l- Bajda resident Ċensina Cauchi, 54, described the once-quiet locality as a “noisy mess”.
“People used to park in the car park but now everyone drives around the back streets looking for a spot. That empty site has turned this locality into a traffic nightmare,” she said.