Cyclists have been banned from Sliema’s promenade in line with a 2012 legal notice. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Authorities are ignoring the needs of all road users apart from car drivers, environmentalist George Debono has charged, after signs were put up in Sliema banning cycling along the promenade in line with a 2012 legal notice.

Previously, cyclists were allowed to proceed slowly, which was seen as protecting both cyclists and pedestrians using the promenade.

“Do you expect me to get on the road with cars zooming past?” Dr Debono, a cyclist from Sliema, asked on behalf of vulnerable cyclists such as older or less confident riders, families and children.

The 78-year-old environmentalist said the road was either congested or turned into a racetrack on weekends.

“Our transport authorities are obsessed with facilitating car transport to the exclusion of other road users,” he said when contacted, noting there was no concept of traffic calming in residential areas.

The Bicycle Advocacy Group has objected to pushing cyclists out on to the street. It said that while the faster and more experienced ones may be happier on the road, an off-road option was needed for the others.

Dr Debono said traffic could be calmed along the Sliema Front by introducing roundabouts at major junctions that would automatically slow down cars, imposing a slower speed limit, and adding zebra crossings at more regular intervals.

Do you expect me to get on the road with cars zooming past?

Another traffic calming measure could be sharrows, which are markings in the centre of a street indicating that cyclists can use the full lane.

BAG also suggested the use of sharrows and cycling awareness signs to protect cyclists.

It also wants to traffic calming measures that protect pedestrians following a recent hit-and-run incident on Tower Road.

The group noted the Sliema local council, which has been “very keen” to encourage cycling, was forced to change the signage: the legal notice prohibiting cycling applies to all promenades across the island.

Mayor Anthony Chircop said the signs had been put up on the insistence of residents who felt unsafe sharing the promenade with bicycles.

A few years ago an elderly man died days after he was hit by a cyclist on the promenade, he recalled.

“Enforcement is not up to the council, and as things stand, that is the law. We are however willing to put forward suggestions for a safer system for cyclists,” he said.

The council has already suggested including sharrows, but it was informed by Transport Malta that the law did not allow for these markings. The council has now brought up the issue with the transport minister.

“We will also be suggesting restricting the legal notice to particular times or speeds.”