After waiting for four months for a reply from the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) to its residential parking proposals, Floriana local council said it will be sending an judicial letter (nota legali) to the authority. If no reply is received, the council is prepared to take further legal action.

Floriana mayor Publio Agius told reporters that the council feels the ADT and Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett have had enough time to study submissions made by the council on a parking scheme for the area.

“If they do not reply within a week,” said Mr Agius, “we will proceed according to measures provided by the law.” Describing the situation as “a case of maladministration”, he said that the council may seek help from the Ombudsman and may also resort to further legal action.

Mr Agius said he has no idea why his council is being ignored, although he admitted that a possible reason could be the lack of Members of Parliament from the Floriana area. He added that the central administration is ignoring the council, even over other matters. The church parvis had been in a very bad state, said Mr Agius, and could have been a danger to people. However, the government took no action, even though the parvis was its responsibility, and the council paid Lm23,500 for its reconstruction.

Floriana local council had proposed a parking scheme that would allow non-residents to park in residential areas for a maximum of two hours. Mr Agius said the area included in the scheme covers 16 per cent of all the parking spaces in Floriana, excluding the MCP and the area reserved for the park and ride scheme.

The mayor also complained that the shuttle service provided between Blata l-Bajda and Valletta does not stop near the US embassy. He said that it was initially announced that the

service would make a stop in Floriana, but this had never materialised.