[attach id=239550 size="medium"]Signs in Dingli Street, Sliema, but fines have not been implemented yet, in order to give people time to get used to the system. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli[/attach]
The Sliema local council has established a board to collect feedback about its residential parking scheme and recommend changes.
“We are ready to listen and where possible make concessions within the regulations. If there is an exemption it will be limited to a circumstance and would need to be evidenced by a competent authority,” Mayor Anthony Chircop told The Times.
In the meantime, the process of implementing the scheme will not be interrupted, he said.
Under the scheme, half the parking bays will be reserved for residents, who will be given a permit to display on their cars. Between 8am and 9pm, non-residents may only park in these spots for up to two hours or they may be fined €23.29.
The mayor said signs had already been put up in Dingli Street but fines were not being implemented yet, in order to give people time to get used to the system. The scheme will be implemented across the whole of Sliema in six months’ time.
It has prompted diverse reactions from residents, shoppers, business owners and their employees.
While some have welcomed it, elderly residents have complained that it is already hard for their relatives to find parking spaces and the scheme would only further discourage them from visiting. The teachers’ union has also declared an industrial dispute over the scheme and called on the authorities to suspend it until a solution is found.
Others have suggested that those who work in Sliema should be provided with passes, while shop owners questioned whether buyers would bother travelling to Sliema for a mere two hours. But the mayor dismissed the idea of issuing permits as these concessions would defeat the scope of the scheme.
We appreciate that this will create some inconvenience, but we are interested in lessening residents’ inconveniences
“We appreciate that this will create some inconvenience but we are interested in lessening residents’ inconveniences. Technically, residents will not get guaranteed or reserved parking spots but the parking situation for them will improve a bit,” he said.
Mr Chircop believes businesses will actually see more people coming into Sliema: if a spot was previously occupied by one car for eight hours, there will now be four cars occupying it within the same amount of time.
“You hear some absurd comments... some say that when they come to Sliema, they go shopping and then go for a coffee... all it takes is another €3 or €4 to get a parking space.”
When it comes to relatives, if they park in the restricted areas at 7pm, they can stay as long as they want to since the scheme expires at 9pm, he said.
And if they want to visit around lunchtime, they have a better chance of finding a spot because as things stand they “will definitely not be able to stop anywhere”.
Asked about a solution for those who commute to Sliema for work, the mayor said the initial idea was that the parking scheme would tie in with an efficient public transport system.
“As a locality we made a lot of sacrifices and gave up a number of parking spaces to accommodate the buses... If the service is not efficient, it means we cooperated but didn’t get the right cooperation from the other end.”
The association representing Sliema businesses has asked whether the council carried out any studies on how the scheme will affect residents, businesses and employees.
The mayor said preceding councils had started discussions that included representatives from the General Retailers and Traders Union – GRTU.