The park and ride system that was recently introduced to encourage people not to enter Valletta in their cars was only the first step to make the capital city more visitor-friendly and less chaotic than it is today.

The system has so far worked without hitches, with many people increasingly leaving their car in Blata l-Bajda and taking the shuttle service to Freedom Square, and returning to their car via the transport provided. As more parking spaces become available, it is expected that the people using the system will increase. The next step is the elimination of the V-licence place and the concurrent introduction of a pay-per-use, which is to come about next year.

But the government intends going beyond this too in a bid to revitalise Valletta, reduce pollution and therefore protect the many historical buildings that dot the city, and make the area more attractive to visitors, locals and tourists alike.

A few days ago, the Urban Development and Roads Minister announced another project in this regard. The government has issued a call for tenders for funicular trains, lifts and escalators that will transform Valletta and, most of all, improve the transport links between various points.

It must be admitted that today it is quite difficult to move from point to point in Valletta. This is largely because of the traffic problems that exist – and with this we add the parking headache – and also because the city has too many steep hills that make walking a nightmare.

In the near future, some of the most important areas in Valletta will be turned into pedestrian areas. The open squares will no longer be filled with cars, but will be spaces to be filled with people and activity.

In order to do this, the government is aiming to improve the transport system to and within Valletta.

After the park and ride scheme, Valletta will soon also boast of funicular trains, lifts and escalators that will make it much easier for people to reach the city and move within it. Although cars will still be allowed in the city, the cost of parking that this will entail will encourage people to leave their cars on the outskirts.

It is not the first time that there were plans to introduce such systems for Valletta, but nothing came out of it in the past. Now the government is determined to carry on with the job, and minister Mugliett is leading the way with his optimism that the project will work.

The government’s plan is to connect the lower part of Valletta to the ditch and the central part of the city. Valletta had its lift just beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens, but this was stopped some 30 years ago. We will now go back to the future in this respect.

Other parts of the project include the funicular service from Customs House to St James’ Ditch, capable of carrying 1,000 commuters per hour; a panoramic lift between St James Ditch and Castille Place (again 1,000 people per hours) and another car park for 400 cars in Landfront Ditch.

The project is also earmarked to make it easier for tourists coming into Grand Harbour on cruises to make their way easily to Valletta. Many of these tourists stop for just one day and therefore an improved transport system will encourage them to visit the capital city as little time will be wasted in travelling.

With the park and ride system up and running, the government’s intentions to make Valletta a better place are now clear. One hopes that the work that needs to be carried out will create little inconvenience, is done in the least time possible and that, ultimately, will reach its objectives – that fewer cars enter Valletta and that the capital city is restored to its former splendour, a splendour that it has unfortunately lost over the years.

If this project comes to fruition and the services offered function as they should, only one thing would remain to make Valletta the “place to be” – and this is the upgrading of City Gate.

But that’s another story.