Last Sunday, we headed out to the beach as most families did on such a beautiful day. Given the wind direction, we opted to go to Għajn Tuffieħa bay (Riviera).

Parking by this beach is always an issue given the small size of the parking area and it has always been common practice to park on both sides of the road, obviously not on the double yellow lines. In the past, we used to be able to park in Triq in-Naħħalija and also in the road adjacent to the former Ħal Ferħ complex but this is not an option any longer since the arrival of the new wider buses.

To cut a long story short, upon our return from the beach we noticed that most of the cars parked on the sides of the road had been fined. I find this totally unfair that tourists and we locals cannot enjoy one of Malta’s best beaches in comfort any longer.

If getting two cars to pass when there are others parked on both sides of the road is an issue, why doesn’t Transport Malta or any other competent body opt to have the road open only to one-way traffic? It is doable, given that Triq in-Naħħalija and the road adjacent to Ħal Ferħ can very easily be used as a ring road.

Furthermore, having a one-way system would enable Triq in-Naħħalija to be used for parking on one of its sides, thus increasing parking capacity in an area where parking is limited.

I am appealing to the authorities concerned: please don’t make going to the beach a miserable experience. It is Malta’s best touristic selling point and most of the population’s getaway!