The Sliema local council is calling for the introduction of a park-and-ride service based at Manoel Island to improve traffic management in a locality where parking spaces come at a premium.

The proposal was made in a letter addressed to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, in which the council put forward its suggestions on the revision of local plans.

Last May the Government suspended a residential parking scheme which the council had introduced on a trial basis. The decision was taken following numerous complaints, especially by teachers in Sliema who had even gone on strike.

Subsequently, the Government announced that the transport regulator had been commissioned to draw up a policy on residential parking schemes. To date no decision has been taken.

In its recommendations to Mepa, the council insisted no more large-scale developments should be permitted in the locality, and that all historical buildings included in major projects should remain accessible to the public.

It pointed out that Fort Cambridge, Fort Tigné and the Garden Battery had not reopened to the public yet, even though the luxurious apartments built adjacent to them had been sold.

The council was also against further development along the coast and the reclassification of buildings in Tigné Road and Tigné Seafront from residential to commercial.

It also proposed banning the practice of keeping just the facade of buildings in the urban conservation area, saying even the internal features should be preserved.

It said building heights should not be increased and even recommended a downward revision in some parts of the locality.

Another proposal was to open a residents’ community centre in the vicinity of the police station.

More funds should also be allocated for general embellishment projects to compensate or further development, the council proposed.