Traffic mayhem is expected next week as multiple roads are closed off and turned into tow zones during the Valletta Summit on Migration.
Sources involved in the traffic management of the high profile event said that arterial routes between the airport, Valletta and St Julian’s would be off limits during unspecified periods next Tuesday and Wednesday.
This will happen again on Friday morning as European and African leaders attending the meeting leave the island. Some 43 heads of government, including the leaders of 26 EU member states, have confirmed their attendance at the summit, to be held on November 11 and 12.
The capital will be the worst hit. Most of Valletta and large parts of Floriana, as well as the regularly congested stretch between Pieta and Msida, will be off limits to traffic for undisclosed times on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The highest number of closures is scheduled for Valletta
Several roads in the Attard-Balzan area that surrounds San Anton Palace as well, and the Pembroke-St Julian’s area will also be closed off to vehicles at multiple times, the sources said.
They added that the closures would not be sustained and the roads would only be closed off when they were expected to be used by the dignitaries.
This, however, might not be the worst of it.
The latest road closures, announced by Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and up-loaded on to the government’s road closure portal, spells a traffic nightmare. The notice gives a list of those roads that will be completely off limits from midnight on Monday to 11am on Friday and several points in between.
“The transit and stopping of vehicles in the roads mentioned is prohibited,” the notice reads, adding that the roads would all be considered tow zones and parking in the area would be illegal.
This inclues seven roads around Paceville and St Julian’s, effectively cordoning off the nightlife hub. The same is also true of 10 roads in the Attard area and another six roads encompassing Buġibba. However, the latter will only be affected on Monday.
The highest number of closures is scheduled for Valletta, with some 30 roads, corners, squares and alleys made off limits at various times next week.
The sources said not all the closures were directly related to the summit and the worst affected areas would be those in the vicinity of Castille Square, the Valletta ring road and the area around the Mediterranean Conference Centre. The police notice says that all entrances and exits to the airport and access roads will also be off limits.
The major roads affected include 13 December Road and Aldo Moro Road in Marsa, National Road in Blata l-Bajda and Ħal Far Road in Safi.
Asked about the closures, a spokesman for the police referred this newspaper to the Government Gazette, which he said would be published on Tuesday.
The route from the airport will be seriously affected during the Valletta summit. Photo: Chris Sant FournierThe roads that will be closed during the Valletta Summit on Migration
St Julian’s
From midnight on Monday, November 9, till 11 am Friday, November 13.
Triq Santu Wistin, Triq id-Dragunara, Triq il-Knisja, Triq Ross, Triq San Ġorġ, Triq L.V. Farrugia and Triq William Harding.
Luqa
From midnight on Monday, November 9, till 9 am Friday, November 13.
Triq Garibaldi, Triq il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa, Triq l-Avjazzjoni Ċivili, Triq Ħal Luqa, Xintill roundabout, Vjal Santa Luċija, Industrial Estate, Triq Ħal Far, Triq l-Avjazzjoni, Triq iż-Żurrieq and MIA entrances.
Attard-Balzan
From 8pm on Monday, November 9, till 10pm Friday, November 13.
Vjal de Paule, (main entrance of the Corinthia Hotel and also Sant’ Anton President’s Palace), part of Triq Birkirkara, Triq il-Linja, (left hand side of Corinthia Hotel), Triq Lord Strickland known as Triq it-Twila which is adjacent to Sant’ Anton Palace), part of Triq Sant’ Antnin, Ħ’Attard, from Triq Lord Strickland up to Triq G. Portelli (kitchen garden area behind San Anton Palace).
Msida/Pieta
From midnight on Tuesday, November 10, till 10 pm Thursday, November 12.
The whole seafront.
Buġibba
From 5am till 7 pm Tuesday, November 10.
Triq Għawdex, Triq Dawret il-Gżejjer, Triq it-Turisti, Triq it-Trunċiera, Triq id-Dolmen and Triq il-Merluzz.
Marsa
From 9am on Tuesday, November 10, till 11 am Friday, November 13.
Triq il-Menqa, Triq Aldo Moro, Triq Diċembru Tlettax, Triq it-Tiġrija/Korsa, Marsa and Triq Nazzjonali, Blata l-Bajda
Valletta
From 5pm on Tuesday, November 10, till midnight Thursday, November 12.
Triq il-Lvant between Triq San Kristofru and Triq San Nikola, Triq il-Mediterran between Triq San Nikola and Saint Elmo Granaries, Pjazza Evans, Saint Elmo Granaries between Triq il-Merkanti and Triq ir-Repubblika, Triq it-Tramuntana between Triq il-Merkanti and Pjazza Evans, Triq il-Merkanti between Saint Elmo Granaries and Triq l-Isptar, Triq l-Isptar between Triq San Pawl and Triq il-Merkanti (including off road parking area), Triq San Pawl between Triq San Nikola and Triq l-Isptar, Triq Sant’ Orsla between Triq San Nikola and Triq l-Ibjar, Triq l-Ibjar between Triq Sant’ Orsla and Triq San Nikola, Triq San Bastjan between Triq l-Ixprun and Triq il-Batterija, Triq Marsamxett between Gun Post and Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir (both sides including parking), Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir between Triq Marsamxett and War Memorial roundabout, Xatt il-Barriera between Ta’ Liesse Hill and Siege Bell Memorial, Valletta and Triq Sant’Anna between Pjazza Robert Sammut and War Memorial roundabout (both sides), Pjazza Sir Luigi Preziosi between Triq San Franġisk and Triq il-Kapuċċini, Triq San Franġisk between War Memorial and Triq F. Sciberras, Triq John Lopez between Triq Sant’ Anna and Triq San Franġisk, Triq F. Sciberras between Triq San Franġisk and Crucifix Hill, Crucifix Hill between Triq il-Kapuċċini and Lascaris Wharf, Lascaris Wharf between Crucifix Hill and Ta’ Liesse tunnel, Triq il-Vittmi tal-Gwerra Furjaniżi between ix-Xatt ta’ Lascaris and Valletta Waterfront, the parking area in Misraħ Hannibal Scicluna, Triq Hannibal Scicluna between Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir and AFM Maritime Base (including off road parking area), Xatt it-Tiben between AFM Maritime Base to emergence Gate of Excelsior Hotel) and Belt is-Sebħ from Triq Hannibal Scicluna to Triq Ospizio, Floriana.
From 11pm on Tuesday, November 10, till midnight Wednesday, November 11.
Central Bank parking area and Triq il-Papa Piju V, Stock Exchange Square and Upper Barrakka Gardens Lane, Triq San Pawl between Misraħ Kastilja and Triq Melita, Triq Melita between Triq San Pawl and Triq il-Merkanti, Triq il-Merkanti between Triq Melita and Misraħ Kastilja, Pjazza de Valette, Triq Ġlormu Cassar between Misraħ Kastilja and War Memorial, Triq San Pawl between Triq Melita and Triq San Kristofru and Triq San Kristofru between Triq San Pawl and Triq il-Lvant.
From 2pm Wednesday, November 11, till 10 pm Thursday, November 12.
Triq Ġlormu Cassar corner with War Memorial roundabout, Triq il-Papa Piju V corner with the New Parliament Building Steps, Triq Nofsinhar corner with Triq Zakkarija, Triq l-Ordinanzja corner with Triq il-Vitorja, Triq il-Merkanti corner with Triq Melita, Triq San Pawl corner with Triq Melita, Triq Sant’Orsla corner with Triq il-Batterija, off road leading to CBM annex and upper barrakka gardens closed to the general public.
From 2pm Wednesday, November 11, till 5pm Thursday, November 12.
Xatt ta’ Lascaris corner with Crucifix Hill, Xatt il-Barriera corner with Ta’ Liesse Hill, Triq il-Mediterran corner with Triq San Nikola, Triq il-Lvant corner with Triq San Kristofru, Triq il-Lvant corner with Triq San Duminku, Misraħ Sant’ Iermu corner with Triq il-Merkanti, Triq it-Tramuntana corner with Triq il-Merkanti, Triq l-Isptar corner with Triq il-Merkanti, Triq San Pawl corner with Triq San Nikola, Triq San Nikola corner with Triq Sant’ Orsla, Triq San Nikola corner with Triq l-Ibjar, Triq l-Ixprun corner with Triq San Bastjan, Triq l-Ifran corner with Triq San Bastjan and Triq il-Punent corner with Triq San Bastjan.
Safi
From midnight Tuesday, November 10, till midnight Friday, November 13.
Triq Ħal Far.