A proposal to transform an unused car park in Pembroke promises to help resolve the perennial problems facing university motorists, Times of Malta has learnt.
A Transport Ministry spokeswoman confirmed the government was “actively considering” turning the abandoned park-and-ride site near Luxol training grounds in St Andrew’s into a shuttle service for students. This, she said, formed part of a national parking policy due to be finalised later this month.
The issue of on-campus parking was raised during last year’s election campaign when Labour pledged to develop a new parking complex for students and staff.
Asked what progress had been made, the spokeswoman said the government’s pledges would all be addressed by the end of its five-year term in power.
“The government plan outlined in its electoral manifesto is spread over five years and every promise is being implemented according to the priority it deserves,” she said.
The spokeswoman said the government had highlighted a number of University-owned areas that were ideally suited for a multi-storey car park. However, this could require a revision of the 2006 North Harbour Plan, which laid down that “new parking facilities will not be permitted in or around the University”.
Parking on the campus has been an issue for students for several years, many of whom complain of “very limited” car access on site. Students said they often missed lectures because they spent more than 40 minutes going round in circles looking for parking.
“The spaces are very limited and I often give up. People say, ‘why not get the bus’, but it’s not like that’s reliable either,” a third-year engineering student remarked.
There are 1,525 parking spaces on campus, more than half of which are taken up by staff; 689 bays are reserved for the 11,000 full-time students.
The situation is further compounded by a number of campus developments, many of which block off long stretches of the ring road.
The number of parking spaces available to students was last year reduced by nearly 20 per cent during the construction of the new IT Services building.