After months of long discussion, it has been decided that the park and ride system will be free of charge. Instead, drivers wanting to enter Valletta will be asked to pay more than originally planned while the so-called V-licence will be abolished.

This, in a nutshell, is what the government is planning to introduce as from later this year, with October set as the target date.

It has been explained that the aim of such a system is to reduce the number of vehicles that enter Valletta and at the same time make the capital city more environment-friendly and pedestrian-friendly too. Floriana, which for a time was to be included in the new traffic management plan, will not form part of the scheme.

Thousands of people go to Valletta every day, many for work and others to go shopping or to entertain themselves. Over the years the number of cars has increased thus exacerbating traffic management problems, apart from the fact that the historic buildings that dot the city are being negatively affected by smog and dirt coming from car exhaust.

Something needed to be done to reduce the pollution and at the same time make the city more attractive to those who visit it, including tourists.

The park and ride system will be successful only if the inconvenience of having to park in Blata l-Bajda is counter-balanced by an efficient transport system to and from Valletta itself.

We are all used to trying to park as near as possible to our destination and often leave it to the last minute. This kind of mentality has to change. On the other hand, the shuttle service that will be operated by the Malta Transport Authority using staff from Industrial Projects and Services Ltd must be of the highest standards.

We cannot have situations where people have to wait for a long time to be taken to and from Valletta. Adequate shelters must also be

provided.

Added to this, the way people will be charged for entering Valletta – and staying there for more than 30 minutes – must also prove to work to perfection. A public information campaign should be planned and implemented to explain properly how the system is going to work and when and how people have to pay their dues.

Another question present holders of the V-licence are asking is whether they will be getting a refund for the amount that they have paid in advance. For example, will those drivers who paid the full licence to enter Valletta for 12 months starting in June get a refund once the

V-licence is abolished in October?

The second issue in hand – apart from the traffic management plan – is the pedestrianisation of parts of Valletta. The government has already completed paving projects in other parts of Malta and as such is therefore experienced in such work.

What one hopes for is that the work to embellish the squares and streets that have been earmarked for pedestrianisation does not take too long.

It has been said that the work would take between four and five years to be finished, in various stages. This is probably being done because the resources available are not enough to carry out the project at one go and so as not to turn several parts of Valletta into building sites all at once.

This in itself is a good plan but on the other hand it is felt that five years are too many. A bigger effort to finish the projects more quickly – including perhaps longer hours of work for the employees involved – should be considered so that the inconvenience created would be limited.

The proposed perspectives of what Castille Square and other areas would look like once the pedestrianisation project is completed have also raised eyebrows. Many are of the opinion that there is a lack of greenery. Maybe we are still in time to make a few adjustments.