The Malta Union of Teachers and the General Workers’ Union have joined forces to oppose a time-controlled system of residents parking in Sliema. Their position is odd and inconsistent.

They have a selective opposition on the issue of time-controlled parking, in that they are not opposed to the system per se, as otherwise they would be up in arms against having such a system in all 20 localities where it applies.

In their statement the MUT conveniently failed to mention that the Sliema boys secondary school will close down next year and the students and teachers will move to the Pembroke school. Aren’t there schools in Valletta where there is a residents parking scheme? Why are they targeting Sliema?

When there was the initial threat by the MUT, the local council met the union and asked them to put their threat on hold so we would enter into talks to tweak the system and come up with solutions to facilitate group transport or car sharing, the use of public transport and other means of travel for teachers.

We appealed for a sensible discussion where solutions are found, just like in Valletta. At the mention of finding mutually agreeable solutions we were faced with obstinate blank faces, which is sad when you think that a fundamental element of our education system is to engage from a young age in problem solving.

The MUT should reconsider their threat and instead enter in meaningful dialogue to come up with solutions. A good starting point would be to ensure that teachers are assigned to schools in their own town or close by. The MUT should be pressuring the Ministry of Education to prioritise the proximity to a teacher’s residence when assigning teachers to their schools.

All towns which introduced the system do not have it applied in all the streets and at all times. In the case of Sliema it would not be applicable to more than half of the total street parking available and it would not apply on Sundays and at night.

Parking needs to become a cross-cutting policy which underpins all areas of policymaking

The Sliema Council is constantly attempting to find solutions. We have submitted an application for an underground car park under the playing field near St Julian’s de Redin Tower. We requested the Land Department to identify an area where there could be a park and ride to Sliema. We also shifted the collection of garbage to the evening to free up some of the peak hour morning traffic.

The Planning Authority has a lot to answer for. Solutions arise at planning stage with respect to construction involving house demolitions and building of apartments. One of the greatest difficulties being faced takes place in narrow streets as the size of the plot, just a couple of metres wide, makes it impossible to create underground parking.

This was manageable up to a few years ago as there would be a couple of blocks of apartments surrounded by many houses. Now that entire streets are being transformed into apartment blocks, the situation is no longer feasible. We have reached a point where permits for apartments without onsite parking should be refused.

At present, developers pay into a fund ring-fenced to compensate for lack of parking provision, however the reality is that councils can’t build a car park in every street. In the case of Sliema, if the council uses this funding to build a car park under the playing field of St Julian’s Tower, as it is planning, the measure will be inconsequential to residents living far off, such as in Patri Marjanu Vella Street.

At the least there should be an adequate financial disincentive. The current planning gain is worked out on the basis of one apartment being equivalent to one parking space. This does not reflect today’s reality.

When it comes to offices the situation is even more alarming. When developers build an office in a street which is neither arterial nor distributor, they are under no obligation to provide parking space. It is shocking that whoever constructs an office in a residential street is under no obligation to provide parking and no financial penalty is imposed as a disincentive.

All Sliema’s streets are not considered arterial or distributor, as is the case in many other residential towns.

The Planning Authority is reneging on its primary obligation to ensure that development takes place in ways that respect the character of our towns.

It is actively encouraging offices in residential areas without onsite parking, which explains the sad transformation of Ta’ Xbiex homes into offices.

Policy U04 of the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development which states that all new developments respond to the local character is not being adhered to.

Parking needs to urgently become a cross-cutting policy which underpins all areas of policymaking, from reforming outdated planning rules to the assignment of teachers in schools.

Unions, local councils and the Planning Authority should unite to find solutions, since Transport Minister Joe Mizzi has failed to come up with the much repeated ‘holistic parking policy’ promised three years ago.

Taking a discriminatory position against Sliema and threatening strikes will get us nowhere.

Paul Radmilli is a Nationalist member of the Sliema local council

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