As from the end of this month, the government will be abolishing the need of a V licence to enter Valletta and will be introducing a system whereby cars which enter Valletta and spend more than 30 minutes will be charged.
People wishing to enter Valletta will have 30 minutes of free parking, after which they will be charged 35c for the first half an hour and 35c per hour thereafter, up to a maximum of Lm2.80. These rates will apply from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and on Saturday between 8am and 1pm. The first half-hour is free of charge, as are all other hours, including all day Sundays and public holidays.
Investments and Industry Minister Austin Gatt said the sole aim of the Controlled Vehicular Access system in Valletta is to improve the environment in the capital city, reducing pollution and giving the centre of Valletta a new life.
Roads and Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett said the CVA system is one of a number of measures the government was taking to improve accessibility to the capital city. He said the park and ride scheme was a success with more than 42,000 people using this service and the government is now in the process of seeing how it could be upgraded.
Another popular measure is the 198 circular route around Valletta which was used by more than 52,000 people since it was introduced in November last year.
Mr Mugliett said that after the tender was issued, the contract for an electric taxi service was signed last week and the service is expected to be up and running from June.
He said the government recognises that the V licence does not make any more sense, especially because it was serving as a deterrent for people to enter Valletta. The 30,000 cars which have a V licence will be receiving a refund pro rata at Lm1.66 per month.
The CVA system was to be introduced in March but the government postponed the introduction because it had to revisit the plans. In fact, since then, the government has exempted the ring road from the CVA system.
David Schranz, representing the company which will be running the CVA, explained that the system uses a state-of-the-art Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology which will take photos of vehicles entering the existing the city and which will calculate the duration of the visit to the capital city and bill the registered owner accordingly.
There are nine entry and six exit points around Valletta where the cameras are installed. The roundabout in front of Castille is a free zone. The cameras, he said, were specifically designed for Malta because they can withstand the hot temperatures and the humidity. In line with the Data Protection Act, the photographs will not feature the vehicle’s driver.
Mr Schranz said that the bills will be issued monthly if the bill amounts to more than Lm5 and quarterly if the bill is less. Motorists can pay by cheque, online, by direct debit or else at the CVA offices at the Valletta local council. The website www.cva.gov.mt can be used for motorists to check their bills and other important information.
Dr Gatt said that in the coming months, the government will announce the start of a project to pave Merchants Street and St John’s Square.
There will be a number of exemptions for residents and relatives of residents but these have to apply at the Valletta local council for an annual permit. Garage owners are also exempt as long as cars are parked inside the garages. Market hawkers are exempt 90 minutes before the monti opens and 90 minutes after it closes. The President, the Archbishop, the Prime Minister, ministers and parliamentary secretaries are among those exempted from the scheme.
The government’s fleet of vehicles is not exempted.