People with mobility problems may soon be able to navigate their way through Valletta on a scooter that would allow them to access the pedestrianised sections of the capital.
Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli said the council and the National Commission for People with a Disability (KNPD) were currently working together to identify a central building from where they would be able to operate a mobility centre.
Once identified, disabled people with mobility problems would be able to borrow or rent a scooter or wheelchair to be able to move around the city.
How the system operates would be determined at a later stage, commission chairman Joe Camilleri said, adding that one option could be for users to leave a deposit or personal document as a guarantee that the vehicle would be returned after use.
Mr Camilleri explained that the commission received several complaints from its members because of problems caused by the pedestrianisation of various parts of Valletta's centre.
The most recent has been St George's Square, which has meant that people with mobility problems can no longer be dropped off in the centre. This has made it harder for them to access the capital.
Parking spots reserved for disabled people who hold a blue badge were also removed from the square and relocated to Merchants Street. There are about 36 such parking spots in the capital.
"We have to keep a balance between the needs to pedestrianise certain localities but, at the same time, allow disabled people to get to these areas," Mr Camilleri said.
Another point being discussed was to make the park and ride transport system into Valletta more accessible to wheelchair users, Mr Camilleri said.
He added that one of the challenges remained creating awareness when such solutions were found so that people knew about them and used the services available.
There was also a need for more education to ensure that blue badge holders did not abuse their badge by, for example, hogging parking spots for themselves, especially where they resided.
Last year the commission tightened its grip over the blue badges, which are now given only to people with severe mobility problems following a visit to a doctor commissioned by the KNPD.