A scheme imposing restricted hours on half of the parking spaces in Sliema will be launched towards the end of the month and implemented across the whole locality within six months.

Mayor Anthony Chircop said the much-awaited residential parking scheme would start from the Dingli Street area.

It will apply to half the parking bays available, where non-residents will not be able to occupy the same spot for more than two hours between 8am and 9pm and will not be able to return within the hour. Such restrictions will not apply to residents who display a local council permit on their car.

Explaining that the scheme had been delayed because of bureaucracy, Mr Chircop urged people to cooperate.

He said that the practice of reserving parking spaces by placing stone slabs or boxes in front of houses would not be tolerated.

Speaking about traffic management, Mr Chircop said the local council was finalising plans for road junctions and one-way streets, among others, to facilitate the traffic flow and eradicate congestion.

Asked about plans to turn Borg Olivier Street into a one-way road, Mr Chircop said the local council had made a request to Transport Malta for both that road and Amery Street and was waiting for a reply.

He noted the continued liaising with building contractors, adding that some five cranes that had been obstructing roads for a long time had been removed in recent months.

In the coming two weeks, three more tower cranes would be dismantled at the Ferries, Tower Road and St Paul’s Street.

Councillor Pierre Portelli launched the council’s new website (www.sliemalocal council. com) that will be live-streaming the monthly meetings. A section called Fix my Street will allow residents to upload pictures and alert the council about any damaged road infrastructure.