Transport Malta has been instructed by the Transport Ministry to make available for public use 70 spaces for parking in Valletta which are currently reserved.

Parking spaces in Valletta come in white – for everyone, in green – for residents, in blue - for everyon's use during the day and for residents at night, and in yellow – reserved for specific use.

The majority of spaces are in white and another 70 has now been added to this number, the ministry said.

The ministry said that since parking in Valletta is limited, it believed spaces should be used in the best possible manner and there should be fewer   reserved spaces.

The 70 new parking slots include 11 in Castille Square. Another 12 had been reserved for offices and a number of other spaces had been in front of doors marked garages but which were not being used as such.

The changes, the ministry said, will not effect those entitled to a reserved space for people with a disability, or residents.

The government recently converted Castille Place into a reserved parking area for employees at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The area was meant to be pedestrianised within four to five years.

More parking spaces were lost following the pedestrianisation of areas like St George's Square and Merchants Street, and the removal of the bridge above City Gate.