Transport Malta is not actively considering reopening Sliema’s Bisazza Street to traffic “at this stage”, despite demands made by some shop owners who claimed sales had plummeted since the road was pedestrianised three years ago.
After seeking the opinion of the local council, which is adamantly against the idea, Transport Malta said it has shelved the idea.
Bisazza Street business owners and those of surrounding areas are split on the subject, with some wanting the pedestrianised street reopened and others opposing it.
The Sliema Business Community is planning to organise a meeting where everyone can voice their opinion before drawing a common position on the matter, president Pierre Fava told The Sunday Times of Malta when contacted.
“I’ve spoken to business owners and there are diverging views. Some prefer it to remain pedestrianised; others say their sales have dropped since pedestrianisation,” he said, adding that the committee did not have a position on the matter.
Bisazza Street, once a main thoroughfare, was paved and pedestrianised in June 2011.
Some business owners who spoke to this newspaper said their sales had plummeted since the street was pedestrianised. Some shops have closed down because of the negative impact this had on their business, including a restaurant.
But others said their clients were happier with the pedestrianised street and that their business was not faring that badly.
Mr Fava added: “There are solutions and we will propose them.”
Proposals to reopen the street to traffic were met by strong opposition from the Sliema council, which is adamant such a decision “did not make sense”. When contacted, Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop confirmed that the council had been approached by Transport Malta officials requesting its opinion on opening up Bisazza Street to public transport.
He said the council discussed the matter and is strongly opposing such plans. Moreover, he said the council was also concerned about how possible it was to limit access to public transport buses only. “To us, this doesn’t make any sense. We cannot have a pedestrianised street and have buses or cars or both passing frequently. Once the bollards are down for the bus to pass, you cannot stop driving down too,” Mr Chircop said.
According to Grace Borg, who owns a business in the area, a number of pros and cons had to be evaluated before a decision was taken. She said she was personally in favour of reopening up the street to route buses, albeit not necessarily all of them.
“I do not have a business in Bisazza Street but since it was pedestrianised and all traffic diverted to Tigné tunnel so everyone is directed towards The Point, business at The Ferries nosedived,” she said when contacted.
“There are people for and others against. I personally think it should be reopened to give a breather to businesses at The Ferries and to bring the area back to life. There are many issues that must be taken into consideration,” she said.
Ms Borg said The Point had an advantage over businesses at The Ferries because the shopping complex offered shoppers underground parking facilities.
“Pedestrianisation is good and it’s positive but it should have been done after the parking problem at The Ferries was solved and businesses here and at The Point are brought on a level playing field,” she said.