Bigger crowds are being expected for this weekend's Notte Bianca according to the feedback being received by the organisers, Malta Council for Culture and Arts chairman Albert Marshall said this morning.
He was speaking during a news conference on logistics for the night, between tomorrow and Sunday.
Representatives of different entities stressed the importance of arming children with information about how their parents could be contacted as many got lost during previous editions.
Dennis Vella Baldacchino, from the Health Department, said that lost children would be taken to the police station in Archbishop Street.
Natalino Bezzina, from the Civil Protection Department said children should have tags with information on how their parents could be contacted.
If a child got lost, it was important to keep calm, Supt. Alexandra Mamo said. Parents could put a wristband with the necessary information of how they could be contacted on their children and if their child went missing go to police station.
Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli said that one of his children got lost in a previous edition. He urged parents to write their mobile number on their children’s arm.
Mr Vella Baldacchino said a clinic with a doctor and a nurse was being set up at the Health Department in Merchants Street. St John Ambulance, the EFRU, Malta Red Cross and St John Rescue Corp will be stationed at several locations throughout the city.
There would be two ambulances in Merchants Street corner with Melita Street, near Palazzo Ferreria in Ordnance Street, in Republic Street near the Palace and near Castille, where there would also be the main command unit, monitoring the whole of Valletta.
Mr Bezzina said a CPD unit would be based at Marsamxett and CPD personnel would be all around Valletta.
People, he said, should also be aware of crowds and opt for alternative routes. In case of emergencies, one should call 112.
Supt Mamo said that the following points of entry to Valletta - Glormu Cassar, Marsamxetto, West Street, Triq San Bastjan to Triq l-Ifran, St Elmo and the Siege Bell Momument, would close at 5pm tomorrow, except for residents.
Zones being marked with no parking signs would start to be cleared of cars at around 1pm. From 9pm onwards vehicles at the MCP will have to exit from the Waterfront.
The entrance to Valletta for pedestrians would be through City Gate, the exit from near the Central Bank.
She appealed vendors not to sell drinks in glass but in plastic and paper.
Ivan Pierre Vella, from Transport Malta, said barriers were to be put up all around the terminus to segregate people exiting Valletta on foot. He appealed to people to follow instructions and walk within these barriers.
Clint Galea, from Arriva, said the company was selling a €3 day and night Notte Bianca ticket which could be bought from buses or ticket booths. A shuttle direct route service back to all localities in Malta would start at 11pm and continue until 2am. The company was also proving a €1.50 shuttle service from the Park and Ride to Valletta.
Artistic director Sean Buhagiar said street lighting would direct people to different areas and a fun train was being provided for people who preferred not to walk.
Mr Dingli appealed to visitors to use public transport. Those who used private transport should not to park in residential areas or tow zones because they would be towed and fined, he warned.
Visitors could also use the ferry from Sliema, Cottonera or Gozo. A special service to Valletta will leave Gozo at 6.30pm and will leave Valletta at 12.30am
A Gozitan folk group will perform on the ferry, getting passengers into the Notte Bianca mood.
The Upper Barrakka lift will be free of charge from 3pm onwards and will run until 2am.
The mayor said that the city would be cleaned continuously during the night. He said that 25 tonnes of waste were collected last year.