Valletta residents who live in the government apartment block near City Gate are worried new traffic arrangements will mean emergency and delivery services may not be able to reach them.
“I’m an 80-year-old with a walking stick. I’m worried that an ambulance might not be able to make it to my house if something happens. Also, what about access for my Meals On Wheels or the gas distributor,” said Lawrence Cacciattolo, who has been living in one of the apartments overlooking Freedom Square for almost 30 years.
The government housing block has entrances overlooking the square and Pope Pius V Road, above City Gate. When demolition works start on City Gate on May 2, this road, a main entry route into Valletta, will no longer be there.
The path leading to the entrance of Mr Cacciattolo’s apartment is usually accessed through Pope Pius V Road. He and the other 21 families living in the flats (overlooking the square) will have to use the passageway of the flats along the bottom part of Pope Pius V Road.
“I used to be able to park on the road and bring in my shopping. Now I’m going to have to park down the road and carry my shopping bit by bit,” said Mr Cacciattolo’s neighbour, Anthony Sammut, pointing in the direction of Hastings Gardens.
“Also, to get home, we have to drive around Valletta,” Mr Sammut said, adding the authorities had not spoken to the residents before forging ahead with the new traffic plans.
“This (City Gate) project reminds me of the Berlin Wall... when it was built because we’re going to be trapped in our homes,” he said.
Another man who lives in the same block said: “I ordered a washing machine and called the delivery man to come this week or we’ll have problems after May 1.”
As from that day, motorists entering Valletta will drive into the capital using two main routes: St Paul Street (near Auberge de Castille) and St Mark Street (further up from Biago Steps).
The road configuration within the city will remain largely the same, except for a few changes. Traffic through Archbishop Street will flow in the opposite direction to allow cars entering from St Paul Street to be able to cut through the capital. Residents close to City Gate and Hastings Gardens will be able to circle Vincenti Buildings through the narrow streets.
Martin Camilleri, owner of The Chef restaurant, located near Hastings, believes the arrangements in the area, where cars will have to pass through narrow roads, will lead to confusion.
“I know this project has to happen... but I might have to provide my clients with a GPS to get here,” he joked.
Maria Fenech, who lives in Melita Street, thinks the new route will cause congestion in her neighbourhood, especially in junctions linking St Mark Street with Old Mint Street. She also thinks the recently paved areas around Vincenti Buildings will be ruined by the cars.
An 80-year-old woman, who has been living in Valletta for about 45 years, feels the new road system will cause confusion but, like everything else, people will get used to it.
Questions sent to Transport Malta about access to ambulances, fire engines and delivery services to the government apartments remained unanswered by the time of writing.