The Cabinet in the early 1960s considered a proposal for cable car between Valletta and Sliema.

According to Cabinet Papers made public last week, the aerial ‘ropeway’ was proposed in 1958 by Edward Vincenti Kind but was been turned down by the government in 1960, mainly on aesthetic grounds and because it was not economically viable.

The developers re-applied a few years later under the administration of George Borg Olivier. The cable car would have linked Hastings Gardens in Valletta to St Anne’s Square or a floating at The Strand, Sliema. The developers suggested the fare would have been three pence for passengers on a monthly subscription and “somewhat higher” for passengers who travelled occasionally.

The British naval authorities had no objection provided there was a minimum clearance over the harbour of 150 feet (46 metres). The Antiquities Committee also did not object as long as the Valletta-side station was not be less than 10 feet (three metres) from the bastion.

The Aesthetics Board said it would not object if the government considered the project “economically desirable and in the national interest”.

The only objection was that of the General Transport Union that represented bus owners. The project, however, was shelved.

More details on this and Cabinet concerns on urban sprawl, Gozo’s powers and the danger of unexploded WWII bombs in the e-paper on timesofmalta.com http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140209/local/Ingenious-plans-for-a-cable-car-from-Sliema-to-Valletta.506015#.UveggvsguvkPremium