Updated Saturday 11am

The Transport Ministry said today that trees uprooted from St James Ditch in Valletta have been successfully transplanted in Santa Venera.

It said the trees had to be uprooted so that the Valletta bus terminus could be extended due to the increased number of new routes and buses to create a better public transport network.

Apart from creating more bus bays, the extension will also clear the Triton fountain square from a bus terminus, paving the way to the future project that shall embellish the area.

The trees were transplanted by ELC, which is responsible for the upkeep of public landscaping and has been successfully doing this type of interventions for the past 13 years.

"The works were carried out according to a schedule intended to cause the least impact on the flow of traffic. Thus, off peak hours between 10 am and 4 pm were chosen in order that the trees would be replanted in the new site," the ministry said.

Yesterday, Save the Trees placed a small plant in front of Castille’s main entrance in solidarity with life and to express disgust at the uprooting of the trees.

A note deposited with the plant said:

“Dear Joseph Muscat and Leo Brincat

This is a sapling, a future apple tree, it may give fruit in the future... to make up for the trees that were chopped down yesterday, and the day before.”

The note was signed "a concerned citizen".

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